Whakarua Park

Location| Ruatoria, Gisborne region, New Zealand
Coordinates| 37°53′20″S 178°19′16″E﻿ / ﻿37.8887669°S 178.321076°E﻿ / -37.8887669; 178.321076
Capacity| 3,000[1]
Surface| Grass
Tenants
East Coast Ngāti Porou

Whakarua Park is a sports facility which is located on Whakarua Park Road in Ruatoria, Gisborne, New Zealand. The main sport that is played is rugby union, being the home ground of the East Coast Rugby Football Union, known as Ngāti Porou East Coast, who play in the Heartland Championship and formerly played in the National Provincial Championship's Second and Third divisions.[1]

## History

[edit]

It has been used by the East Coast Rugby Football Union since it split from the Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union in 1922. Since then it has hosted numerous notable games including two Ranfurly Shield matches in 1997 against Auckland and in 2013 against Waikato. On both occasions East Coast suffered heavy losses.

Whakarua Park also hosted the 1999 NPC Third Division final between East Coast and Poverty Bay in which the Ngāti Porou won 18–15. The 2000 NPC Third Division saw East Coast defeat Wairarapa Bush 18–17, however they would go on to lose the final at Centennial Park in Oamaru against North Otago.

More recently, one of the semifinals and the final of the 2012 Heartland Championship took place in Whakarua Park as East Coast went on to win the championship for the first time since the disestablishment of the NPC in 2006.[2]

Ahead of the 2016 Super Rugby season, the Hurricanes prepared during preseason in Ruatoria and Gisborne.[3]

## See also

[edit]

* Sports portal

* East Coast Rugby Football Union
* Heartland Championship

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "2013 Pink Batts Heartland Championship Media Guide". AllBlacks.com. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
2. ^ "Fixtures and Results (2012)". Heartland Championship. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
3. ^ Robson, Toby (31 January 2015). "Plenty at stake for Hurricanes second-stringers in pre-season clash with Crusaders". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 April 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website of the East Coast Rugby Football Union
* East Coast rugby on NZHistory.net

* v
* t
* e

Heartland Championship

Teams|

* Buller
* East Coast
* Horowhenua-Kapiti
* King Country
* Mid Canterbury
* North Otago
* Poverty Bay
* South Canterbury
* Thames Valley
* Wairarapa Bush
* Wanganui
* West Coast

Seasons|

* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Cups|

* Meads Cup
* Lochore Cup

Predecessor|

* National Provincial Championship (1976–2005)

* v
* t
* e

Rugby union in New Zealand

Governing body|

* New Zealand Rugby

National teams|

| Men's|

* New Zealand
* Sevens
* U-20
* Schoolboys
* Defunct: U-21
* U-19

|

Women's|

* New Zealand
* Sevens

Other notable teams|

* All Blacks XV
* Barbarians
* Cavaliers
* Classic All Blacks
* Heartland XV
* Māori All Blacks

Competitions|

* Super Rugby
* Super Rugby Aupiki
* National Provincial Championship
* Heartland Championship
* Meads Cup
* Lochore Cup
* Ranfurly Shield
* Hanan Shield
* New Zealand Sevens
* New Zealand Women's Sevens
* National Sevens
* Farah Palmer Cup
* National First XV Championship
* North vs South rugby union match
* The Rugby Championship

Related articles|

* International players
* International player records
* International tours and series
* New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup
* History of rugby union in New Zealand
* Structure of rugby union in New Zealand
* List of New Zealand rugby union teams
* Racism in New Zealand rugby union
* New Zealand Rugby Museum
* Oceania Rugby

Provincial unions|

| North Island|

* Auckland
* Bay of Plenty
* Counties-Manukau
* East Coast
* Hawke's Bay
* Horowhenua-Kapiti
* King Country
* Manawatu
* North Harbour
* Northland
* Poverty Bay
* Taranaki
* Thames Valley
* Waikato
* Wairarapa Bush
* Wanganui
* Wellington

|

South Island|

* Buller
* Canterbury
* Mid-Canterbury
* North Otago
* Otago
* South Canterbury
* Southland
* Tasman
* West Coast

* v
* t
* e

Gisborne District, New Zealand

Seat: Gisborne Central

Populated places|

| Gisborne City|

* Awapuni
* Elgin
* Gisborne Central
* Kaiti
* Makaraka
* Mangapapa
* Okitū
* Riverdale
* Tamarau
* Te Hapara
* Tuaheni Point
* Victoria
* Wainui Beach
* Whataupoko

|

Towns and rural areas|

* East Cape
* Hicks Bay
* Hiruharama
* Horoera
* Potaka
* Rangitukia
* Ruatoria
* Te Araroa
* Tikapa
* Tikitiki
* Whareponga
* Mātāwai
* Mōtū
* Muriwai
* Ngātapa
* Ormond
* Otoko
* Puha
* Rere
* Te Karaka
* Tiniroto
* Waikohu
* Waituhi
* Wharerātā
* Whatatutu
* Akuaku
* Anaura Bay
* Gable End Foreland
* Kaiaua Bay
* Makarika
* Pourewa Island
* Te Puia Springs
* Tokomaru Bay
* Tolaga Bay
* Waimata Valley
* Waipiro Bay
* Whangara
* Hexton
* Makauri
* Manutūkē
* Matokitoki
* Pātūtahi
* Waihirere

Geographic features|

* East Cape
* Whangaokeno / East Island
* Gable End Foreland
* Huiarau Range
* Koranga River
* Motuoroi Island
* Mount Arowhana
* Mount Hikurangi
* Maungahaumi
* Mount Raukūmara
* Pourewa Island
* Raukūmara Range
* Titirangi Hill
* Tuaheni Point
* Young Nick's Head

Facilities and attractions|

* East Cape Lighthouse
* Eastwoodhill Arboretum
* Gisborne Airport
* Gisborne Botanical Gardens
* Gisborne Railway Station
* Hackfalls Arboretum
* Harry Barker Reserve
* Mangahanea Marae
* Raukumara Conservation Park
* Te Puia Springs
* Te Urewera protected area
* Whakarua Park

Schools|

* Campion College
* Gisborne Boys' High School
* Gisborne Girls' High School
* Gisborne Intermediate
* Lytton High School

Sports|

* East Coast Rugby
* Gisborne City Football
* Gisborne Thistle Football
* Poverty Bay Rugby

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