Bay of Plenty Rugby Union Plenty also acts as a primary feeder to the Chiefs, who play in the Super Rugby competition. The union is coached by Clayton McMillan the union also administers all club rugby within the region, including the Bayfair Baywide competition and other senior club rugby. As well, the union is responsible for school rugby. Bay of Plenty played a prominent role in the early history of rugby in New Zealand. The 1888–89 New Zealand Natives (the first New Zealand representative rugby team to tour beyond Australia) included five Warbrick brothers from the small Bay of Plenty settlement of Matata. Dave Gallaher,
Radio Bay of Plenty independent local programming and news coverage for the Bay of Plenty with a specific focus on the eastern part of the region. The stations carry and contributes to national news bulletins produced by NZME Radio through Newstalk ZB. One Double X began broadcasting to the Eastern Bay Of Plenty on 1240 kHz at 10:30 am on 30 June 1971. The original company name was Radio Whakatane but changed to Radio Bay Of Plenty in 1978 when the station's AM frequency also changed to 1242 kHz. In the mid-late 1970s 1XX 1240 was also known on air from time to time