Chiefs add Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union as provincial affiliate

Ahead of the opening round of Super Rugby Pacific 2025, the Chiefs have added a New Zealand provincial union to the areas that make up “Chiefs country”.

The announcement made by the Chiefs comes after an agreement with the Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby was agreed, the decision was unanimously supported by the other Chiefs provincial unions. 

Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union have previously just been a part of the Hurricanes’ unions since the beginning of Super Rugby in 1996.

Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union join a large group of provincial unions that are affiliated with the Chiefs, joining Waikato, Thames Valley, King Country, Counties Manukau, Taranaki and Bay of Plenty.

Chiefs Rugby Club playing groups met at FMG Stadium Waikato to welcome Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union to the Chiefs region. 

Representatives from the staff and board were in attendance, taking part in the Whatanoa Gate Powhiri with all of the players and coaches, in which they were officially welcomed to the Chiefs union.

Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union chair Val Morrison and Chiefs Rugby Club Chairman Bill Osborne have both played a crucial role in developing the deal, uniting the two clubs that have shared a lot of the same cultural links.

“We share the same values when it comes to culture, Te Ao Maori principles and spirituality. Our focus on people, as opposed to things, is also common,” Osborne told the Chiefs. 

“This is a marriage steeped in cultural understanding.”

“I also want to take this time to thank the Hurricanes and New Zealand Rugby for their support on this endeavour.”

Despite the agreement about shifting away from the Hurricanes, Morrison says that the decision was carefully considered, something that the club’s representatives and members of their organisation didn’t take lightly.

“This has nothing to do with the Hurricanes or our working relationship with them. As one of our people remarked at Wednesday’s powhiri, ‘This feels like coming home’, Morrison told the Chiefs.

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Serving as the union’s Horouta Maori delegate, Morrison believes that the move makes sense regarding the position of the two clubs.

“Geographically it is just logical. In four hours from Ruatoria – where we are based – we can be in the heart of Chiefs country. Four hours the other way and you are barely out of Poverty Bay.”

“After all, we have whakapapa links to Tainui. In many ways, this is where we belong.”