GO EAST: A LOVE LETTER TO EAST COAST RUGBY
WITHIN minutes of stepping into the victorious East Coast dressing room after the 1999 Third Division final it was obvious that this was a provincial team like no other.
Thirty minutes earlier and East Coast had made history; claiming their first piece of NPC silverware after beating neighbours and arch-rivals Poverty Bay 18-15 in nail-biting fashion at Whakarua Park.
While the focus of most Kiwi rugby fans was on the following day’s Rugby World Cup quarter final between the All Blacks and Scotland at Murrayfield, 5000 people packed into the humble heartland venue for the biggest match in East Coast’s history.
‘THE ‘THIRD HALF’ OF ANY CLASH ON THE COAST IS CARRIED OUT IN THE KITCHEN.’
A first time visitor to the region, I had headed down to do a feature on the team - who had been long-time provincial battlers - regardless of the result.
Whakarua Park is the spiritual home of rugby on the East Coast. It’s rich history includes it being the location of the posthumous Victoria Cross investiture hui for 2nd Lieutenant Moana-Nui-a-Kiwi Ngarimu; the first Maori soldier to
