The East Coast rugby team, representing the country's smallest rugby union, celebrates winning the 1999 NPC Third Division Championship. Ngāti Porou East Coast beat their neighbours Poverty Bay 18-15 in the final at Ruatōria.
East Coast declined promotion to the second division of the NPC for the 2000 season. With its limited resources, the Coast had to consider the cost of a campaign in the second division. There was also a feeling that the squad needed to be strengthened to be competitive in the higher grade. Players of Ngāti Porou descent were recruited from around the country. When East Coast won the third division again in 2000 with a 25–21 victory over North Otago, they accepted promotion.
East Coast had a fairytale run in the second division in 2001. In the final, Hawke's Bay led 30–10 before East Coast scored three tries, but Hawke’s Bay hung on to win 30–27.
Since then success has been less frequent, although East Coast won the Meads Cup (Heartland Championship) in 2012.
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