East Coast earn pre-season Shield challenge against Magpies in Napier

Ngati Porou East Coast will travel to Napier in their Ranfurly Shield challenge. Photo / NZME

The Hawke's Bay Magpies will face Ngati Porou East Coast in what is, hopefully, their final pre-season Ranfurly Shield challenge next month.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union announced the challenge had been accepted against "everyone's favourite second team", with the match due to take place at McLean Park on July 24.

This fixture will be the Magpies' second Ranfurly Shield defence, if they beat 2019 Meads Cup holders North Otago on June 30.

Ngāti Porou East Coast chief executive Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said the squad is excited ahead of the province's ninth Ranfurly Shield challenge.

"This will be a pinnacle event in the celebration of our centenary, and a major challenge in coach Hosea Gear's first year on the ground with us."

Gear, who appeared 15 times for the All Blacks, recently joined the province as head coach in hope of helping the next generation of Ngati Porou.

"The game will be of major significance to Ngati Porou around the country and we look forward to the challenge," Tangaere-Manuel said.

Ngati Porou East Coast will travel to Napier in their Ranfurly Shield challenge. Photo / NZME

HBRU CEO Jay Campbell said the crowd will be full of supporters in the famous sky blue.

"It's brilliant to be able to fit another challenge into our condensed pre-season, but to host one of our neighbours and in their centenary year is fantastic.

"I was living in London in 2001 when Hawke's Bay hosted the coast in that epic final, but plenty of my mates have told me the atmosphere was up there with a test match and knowing how passionate Ngāti Porou are, will no doubt be similar."

Magpies coach Mark Ozich, who was recently crowned Coach of the Year at the 2021 Hawke's Bay Sports Awards, said Ngāti Porou East Coast will arrive in Napier with an "abrasive attitude and a desire to play entertaining rugby".

"If we're lucky enough to hold on to the shield against North Otago, it will be a great way to build into our NPC campaign."

The kick-off time is yet to be confirmed.

Tickets for both Ranfurly Shield challenges go on sale from June 10.