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For 125 years Taranaki has maintained the rugby traditions associated with New Zealand’s rural hinterland.

With tough, uncompromising forwards complemented by accurate kickers, the ‘Naki set the benchmark for provincial rugby during its heyday between the late 1950s and mid-1960s, when two tenures of the Ranfurly Shield yielded 28 successful defences.

The East Stand was closed in November 2017 due to earthquake risk, and the West Stand followed at the start of June 2018 as a precaution for public safety.

Since that announcement on June 6 2018 the Taranaki Rugby Football Union, Taranaki Stadium Trust, which owns the venue, and the New Plymouth District Council, which operates the venue, have worked together to get a full understanding of the geotechnical and engineering reports on the stadium. 

Taranaki's premier rugby ground Yarrow Stadium will be at near full capacity when the stadium is partially re-opened for events from February 2022, authorities say.

The ground has been off limits to the public since December 2020 while construction crews replace foundations underneath the West Stand in the first stage of a $50 million project to earthquake strengthen the stadium.

Demolition of the East Stand will start mid-April. It is to be rebuilt with a new design and is due to be completed by late 2024.

Both of the stands were originally built by Fletcher Construction in 2002, at a cost of $17million. They were declared earthquake-prone in 2017 and 2018.