Gisborne is a city in northeastern New Zealand and the largest settlement in the Gisborne District. It has a population of 38,800. Gisborne District Council has its headquarters in the central city.
The Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Football Union (NPEC) is a constituent union in the New Zealand Rugby Union. It is located on the East Coast of the North Island, based in Ruatoria. It is the smallest Union in New Zealand in the sense of player numbers and population base. Due to the high number of players from the Ngati Porou iwi, the team is often referred to as Ngati Porou East Coast.
Hosea Emiliano Gear is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played as a wing. He has also played 14 international matches for New Zealand.
Kurt Baker is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a fullback or wing for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Charlie James Ngatai is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a centre, although he can also cover other backline positions. Ngatai last played for Leinster Rugby in Ireland, having previously been Captain of the Chiefs, Taranaki Rugby Football Union and of the Māori All Blacks internationally.
Martin Ramsay McKenzie is a Rugby union footballer who plays as either a Fly-half or Fullback. He represents the Southland Stags in the Mitre 10 Cup. He currently plays for the Chiefs in super rugby.
Matthew Phillip Proctor is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a utility back for the Western Force in Super Rugby. He has previously played for the Northampton Saints in the Premiership Rugby and for the Melbourne Rebels and Hurricanes in Super Rugby.
The Lochore Cup is a New Zealand rugby union trophy named after famed Wairarapa Bush and All Blacks player and coach Brian Lochore. It is contested during the Heartland Championship. It was first awarded in 2006, when the Heartland Championship format was introduced.
Chris Eves is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a prop for the Bay of Plenty Steamers in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Sunwolves in the international Super Rugby competition.
Brad McCormick Weber is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a halfback for Stade Français in the French Top 14. He previously played for Hawke's Bay in the National Provincial Championship and the Chiefs in Super Rugby. He has represented New Zealand internationally.
Sean Wainui was a New Zealand rugby union player. He played on the wing for provincial side Bay of Plenty, the Chiefs in Super Rugby, and for New Zealand's Māori international side the Māori All Blacks.
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.
Asafo Junior Aumua is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby and Wellington in the Bunnings NPC.
Isaia Walker-Leawere is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a lock for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby and Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition.
Kimiora Poi is a New Zealand netball international. She was a member of the New Zealand teams that won the 2017 Netball World Youth Cup, the 2018 Fast5 Netball World Series and the 2021 Constellation Cup. Since 2018, Poi has played for Mainland Tactix in the ANZ Premiership. Poi was a prominent member of the 2020 and 2021 Mainland Tactix teams that played in two successive grand finals. Ahead of the 2022 season, Poi was appointed Tactix captain.
Wellington are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Wellington, New Zealand. The union was originally established in 1879, with the National Provincial Championship established in 1976. They now play in the reformed National Provincial Championship competition. They play their home games at Sky Stadium in Wellington. The team is affiliated with the Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are black and gold.
The 2021 Bunnings NPC season was the 16th season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on August 6, when Manawatu hosted Counties Manukau. It involved the top 14 rugby unions in New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Bunnings NPC and it was the first season under the lead sponsor and to carry the NPC moniker since 2005. The winner of the Championship, Taranaki wasn't promoted to the Premiership due to a format restructure earlier in the season. Despite finishing seventh in the Premiership, Auckland was not relegated to the Championship, having only played two matches due to a resurgence of COVID-19 in the Auckland Region.
Sosefo Losino 'Apikotoa is a rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop for Hawke's Bay in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and for Anthem Rugby Carolina in Major League Rugby (MLR). He previously played for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. He was born and raised in New Zealand, but represents Tonga internationally, for which he is eligible due to his Tongan descent.
Tyrone Thompson is a New Zealand rugby union and rugby league player, who plays for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League, having made a code switch from rugby union to league ahead of the 2025 NRL season.
The 2024 Heartland Championship, was the 18th edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur provincial unions in New Zealand.
