# Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union

The Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union within the Gisborne district, in the area surrounding Poverty Bay on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The men's representative team play from Rugby Park, Gisborne, and currently compete in the Heartland Championship.

## History

The Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union was established in 1890 by four clubs in the Gisborne area - Gisborne, Turanganui, Poverty Bay and Warerenga-a-Hika, with the union's inaugural first-class match being held against Hawke's Bay the same year. Since then, the union has played against every other existent union in New Zealand as well as an array of overseas touring sides, including but not limited to Australia, England, South Africa and Japan, against whom Poverty Bay drew in 1974. In 1981, Rugby Park was the scene of clashes between pro-tour supporters and anti-tour protesters prior to a match against the touring South African side. Poverty Bay ultimately lost the game by 6 - 24.

## Provincial representative rugby
### National Provincial Championship

Poverty Bay won the National Provincial Championship (NPC) Third division, in:
* 1987 coached by Grant Allen and captained by former Canterbury representative Tony Thorpe, the team was unbeaten in all 9 games they played that season including a 26-16 victory over Hawkes Bay. Fullback Richard Owen scored 104 points in NPC matches (122 in total for the season) and Andrew Hansen scored 7 tries.
* 2004 coached by Kiwi Searancke and captained by Mark Jefferson, a former first class cricketer.
They also finished runners-up in the same division in 1994, 1995 and 1999.

### Heartland Championship

Since 2006, Poverty Bay have competed in the Heartland Championship, a competition organised by the New Zealand Rugby Union for New Zealand's amateur unions. Since the introduction of the format in 2006, the team have had great success, winning the Lochore Cup on four occasions:
* 2006 coached by Paul Feeney with Scott Leighton as captain and main goal kicker scoring 115 points for the season.
* 2007 coached by Feeney and captained by Leighton who scored 114 points in Heartland games (144 on all games).
* 2008 coached by Feeney and captained by Leighton. A young Charlie Ngatai from Gisborne Boys' High School also appeared in three games scoring four tries including two in the final.
* 2011 coached by Granger Heikell and captain Leighton. John Stewart scored a Poverty Bay season record equaling 11 tries.
Poverty Bay have not managed to win the Meads Cup, having been eliminated in the semi-finals in 2009, 2010 and 2014.
Heartland Championship results :
| Year | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | Pts | Place | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Year | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | BP | Pts | Place | Qual | Semifinal | Final |
| 2006 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 243 | 194 | +49 | 4 | 24 | 7th | Lochore Cup | Won 36–10 against Buller | Won 46–34 against King Country |
| 2007 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 193 | 162 | +31 | 4 | 24 | 7th | Lochore Cup | Won 65–3 against Thames Valley | Won 38–35 against South Canterbury |
| 2008 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 196 | 131 | +65 | 3 | 23 | 7th | Lochore Cup | Won 43–30 against South Canterbury | Won 26–5 against Horowhenua-Kapiti |
| 2009 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 154 | 181 | −27 | 2 | 26 | 3rd | Meads Cup | Lost 13–48 to Wanganui | — |
| 2010 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 282 | 164 | +118 | 4 | 28 | 3rd | Meads Cup | Lost 24–31 to Wanganui | — |
| 2011 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 184 | 226 | +40 | 5 | 19 | 8th | Lochore Cup | Won 32–30 against Buller | Won 49–22 against South Canterbury |
| 2012 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 212 | 247 | −35 | 5 | 17 | 8th | Lochore Cup | Lost 22–42 to Buller | — |
| 2013 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 141 | 240 | −99 | 2 | 6 | 12th | No | — | — |
| 2014 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 231 | 168 | +63 | 6 | 28 | 2nd | Meads Cup | Lost 22–29 to Mid Canterbury | — |
| 2015 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 227 | 333 | −106 | 6 | 10 | 11th | No | — | — |
| 2016 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 296 | 268 | +28 | 8 | 20 | 7th | Lochore Cup | Lost 26-48 to King Country | — |
| 2017 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 185 | 229 | -44 | 4 | 20 | 8th | Lochore Cup | Lost 22-56 to Mid Canterbury | — |
| 2018 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 193 | 302 | −109 | 8 | 16 | 11th | No | — | — |
| 2019 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 237 | 257 | -20 | 8 | 20 | 8th | Lochore Cup | Lost 35-41 to Wairarapa Bush | — |
| 2021 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 263 | 223 | +40 | 8 | 24 | 5th | No | — | — |
| 2022 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 183 | 242 | -59 | 4 | 16 | 10th | No | — | — |
| 2023 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 229 | 249 | -20 | 8 | 16 | 8th | Lochore Cup | Won 40-35 against North Otago | Lost 20-23 against West Coast |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 190 | 350 | -160 | 6 | 6 | 12th | No | — | — |

### Ranfurly Shield

Poverty Bay have never held the Ranfurly Shield, although they have challenged for the Shield on 16 occasions. In 1980, Poverty Bay came close to defeating Auckland, losing a hard-fought encounter 12 - 19.

## All Blacks

There have been seven players selected for the All Blacks whilst playing for Poverty Bay. Most notable amongst these players are Ian Kirkpatrick and Richard "Tiny" White. Other players include John Collins, Brian Fitzpatrick, Lawrie Knight, Mike Parkinson and Hika Elliot
There have also been players such as Rico Gear, Hosea Gear and Charlie Ngatai who became All Blacks having started their careers with Poverty Bay.

## Super Rugby

Poverty Bay along with Wellington, Wairarapa Bush, Wanganui, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu and Horowhenua-Kapiti fall within the Hurricanes catchment. Hosea Gear is the most notable player from the Poverty Bay region to have played for the side.