East Coast rugby competition ‘anyone’s race’

Whakarua Park pictured in 2024. This weekend, the Heke-o-Te-Rangi Blackbee Contractors Ngāti Porou East Coast men’s club rugby competition will kick off there with three matches. Photo / Gisborne Herald

They will rock, roll and run like the wind at Whakarua Park in Ruatōria tomorrow (Saturday).

Three rough-and-tumble clashes are listed for opening day in the Heke-o-Te-Rangi Blackbee Contractors Ngāti Porou East Coast men’s club rugby competition at Enterprise Cars Whakarua Park.

Mighty Tihirau Victory Club of Cape Runaway – 2025 champions with nine wins in a perfect season – will this year compete in the Eastern Bay of Plenty competition due to road closures and travel.

That makes it anyone’s race for the Rangiora Keelan Memorial Shield.

The Kath McLean Memorial Cup will go to the winners of the first round of the competition, and the Jury Harrison Memorial Cup will go to the second-round winners.

In last year’s grand final, TVC – on home territory Te Kura Mana Maori o Whangaparaoa – held out, 19-12, against Waiapu. Tomorrow, Waiapu Te Awa will take on Tokomaru Bay United at 11am, with Matt Richards as referee.

Richards’ colleague Peter Crawford will oversee the 1pm humdinger between Hikurangi Te Maunga and Waima, and Joseph Coleman will referee the Ruatoria City-Uawa match.

Tokararangi of Te Araroa have drawn the bye in the seven-club men’s competition.

The men have a 16-week competition, with the grand final set for July 4.

The Morgan Waitoa Memorial Cup will be contested at home games of the holders during round-robin matches only.

Tokararangi hold the trophy and their first defence will be against Hikurangi on April 4 at 2pm.

The five-team women’s competition is to start on April 18. Ruatoria City will host Uawa at Whakarua Park, while Tokararangi are at home – Te Araroa Domain – to Waiapu, with both games set to kick off at 11.30am.

Hikurangi Mountain Maidens have the bye.

The women have a 12-week competition, with the Hamoterangi Cup at stake.