Skip to main content

Story: Māori rugby – whutupaoro

Rugby on the East Coast

Image
Rugby on the East Coast

Members of the local Ruatōria team, the East Coast Legends, hongi (perform a traditional greeting) with the visitors, the Southern Spikers, at the end of a 'Golden Oldies' match. Many Māori start playing rugby as kids and continue even once they approach kaumātua status.

Using this item

Nacho Hernandez

by Nacho Hernandez

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Malcolm Mulholland, Māori rugby – whutupaoro – Flaxroots rugby – club and provincial level, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/40290/rugby-on-the-east-coast (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Malcolm Mulholland, published 3 December 2012, updated 1 January 2015.