The West Coast Rugby Football Union, formed in 1890, is the official governing body for rugby union in the Westland County, Hokitika Borough and Greymouth Borough districts, located in the West Coast provincial region of New Zealand, and is affiliated to the New Zealand Rugby Football Union. The West Coast RFU provincial representative team, a founding member of the National Provincial Championship, is based in Greymouth. It plays home matches at John Sturgeon Park (known as Rugby Park until 2018).
Representative rugby
The West Coast team, a semi-professional side that previously played in the second and third divisions of the National Provincial Championship, continues to compete at national provincial level in the second-tier Heartland Championship. In 2015, the team celebrated their 125th Jubilee.
West Coast in Super Rugby
West Coast is a constituent RFU of the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise, following the replacement of NPC cup qualification to the Super 10 with a franchise model by the NZRFU. West Coast joined the alliance, led by former Super 10 qualifiers Canterbury, together with the Tasman, Buller, Mid Canterbury and South Canterbury provincial football unions.
Championships
West Coast have yet to win a Provincial Championship title in any division, but have finished in the second-division top four for five seasons since the Heartland Championship era began, including finishing as Heartland Championship minor premiers in 2009 (before losing the Meads Cup Grand Final to North Otago).
National Provincial Championship placings
Ranfurly Shield
West Coast have never held the Ranfurly Shield. West Coast's Ranfurly Shield challenges: 27-8-1932 Canterbury 5 West Coast 3 (L.T.Martyn try) 2-9-1933 Canterbury 23 West Coast 7-9-1935 Canterbury 16 West Coast 11 (E.Pfahlert, R.R.King tries, L.T.Martyn two penalties, one conversion) 26-9-1936 Otago 30 West Coast 0 20-9-1952 Waikato 20 West Coast 6 (A.J.Lindbom two penalties) 11-9-1954 Canterbury 8 West Coast 0 24-9-1955 Canterbury 20 West Coast 11 (F.W.Gugich, R.N.Inkster tries, A.A.McNabb one penalty, one conversion) 25-8-1962 Auckland 52 West Coast 6 (T.N.McAra drop goal, J.M.Earthorne one penalty) 16-9-1972 Canterbury 47 West Coast 3 (R.Nelson one penalty) 27-7-1974 Marlborough 18 West Coast 0 29-7-1978 Manawatu 51 West Coast 10 (C.R.Skates try, A.F.Kissick two penalties) 25-8-1984 Canterbury 68 West Coast 3 (G.Cook drop goal) 4-7-2000 Waikato 99 West Coast 3 (M.Foster one penalty)
All Blacks
There have been eight players selected for the All Blacks whilst playing their club rugby in the West Coast. Harry Atkinson Sam Bligh Henry Butland John Corbett Frank Freitas Mike Gilbert Ronald King Jack Steel
Rundle Cup
The Rundle Cup is contested by the West Coast and Buller when they meet in senior fixtures.
The Rundle Cup was donated to the West Coast provincial union during their Annual General Meeting at the Albion Hotel on 24 May 1911 by William Rundle as a trophy for West Coast v Buller matches. Rundle was a local business man in the mining industry and former player for the Grey Football Club. He later perished on the frontline in France during World War One. The first contest for the Rundle Cup was held in 1911 in Westport, and it replaced the Molloy Cup as the region’s symbol of rugby supremacy.
The first game between the two Unions occurred in 1896 and bragging rights on the Coast now come via the Rundle Cup.
Of the 37 challenge trophies contested by two provinces in New Zealand rugby it is of the longest continuous existence, it is also the second oldest provincial trophy after the Ranfurly Shield.
WILLIAM ARTHUR RUNDLE (1874–1918)
Donor of the Rundle Cup
(Written by Clive Akers)