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.

The Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union was established in 1890 by four clubs in the Gisborne area — Gisborne, Turanganui, Poverty Bay and Waerenga-a-Hika — with the union's inaugural first-class match being held against Hawke's Bay the same year.^[1] 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.

Poverty Bay won the National Provincial Championship (NPC) Third division, in:

• 1987 coached by Grant Allen and captained by former Canterbury representative Tony Thorpe,^[2] 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^[3] scored 7 tries.
• 2004 coached by Kiwi Searancke^[4] and captained by Mark Jefferson, a former first class cricketer.

They also finished runners-up in the same division in 1994, 1995 and 1999.

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^[5] with Scott Leighton^[6] 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^[7] from Gisborne Boys' High School also appeared in three games scoring four tries including two in the final.
• 2011 coached by Granger Heikell^[8] and captain Leighton. John Stewart^[9] 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.

Poverty Bay have never held the Ranfurly Shield. In 1980, Poverty Bay came close to defeating Auckland, losing a hard-fought encounter 12 - 19.

There have been seven players selected for the All Blacks whilst playing for Poverty Bay:

• John Collins: All Blacks 1964-65
• Hika Elliot: Poverty Bay 2014, All Blacks 2010-15
• Brian Fitzpatrick: All Blacks 1951-1954. Father of All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick
• Ian Kirkpatrick: All Blacks 1967-77
• Lawrie Knight: All Blacks 1974-77
• Mike Parkinson: All Blacks 1972-73
• Richard "Tiny" White: All Blacks 1946-57.

Players who became All Blacks after previously representing Poverty Bay include:

• Hosea Gear: Poverty Bay 2000, All Blacks 2008-12
• Rico Gear: Poverty Bay 1997 (also 2014-16), All Blacks 2004-07
• Charlie Ngatai: Poverty Bay 2008, All Blacks 2015.

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.

• Official Website
• Poverty Bay rugby (NZHistory.net.nz)