Player numbers up for the second year in a row

[Te Kaha]

Might keep the doomsayers quiet for a week or two...
Stolen from Stuff.Co.NZ

<H2>Rugby playing numbers up

22 September 2005

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The number of registered rugby players in New Zealand has increased by seven per cent this year, demonstrating the growing popularity of the game at all levels, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) announced today.[/font]


[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Registered players grew from 129,253 in 2004 to 137,960 in 2005, mirroring a similar increase in 2004. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The news was welcomed by NZRU chief executive Chris Moller, who said the growth in the past two years was a direct result of the three-year community rugby plan initiated in 2004. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"This is an outstanding achievement by administrators, coaches and officials at every level of the game and represents a significant boost to not only junior and community-level, but to underpinning the future performance of our national and professional teams," Moller said. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]One of the most significant increases in participation numbers is at under-13 level, where the number of registered players rose 10 per cent from 58,225 in 2004 to 64,146 in 2005. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]In the 13-19 age group, a total of 33,834 males and females play the game, an increase of six per cent on the 2004 figure. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]NZRU provincial union relationship and community rugby manager Brent Anderson said the increase in the under-13 age group was a result of several successful programmes, including Rippa Rugby, the non-contact game that was introduced into primary schools in 2004. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The number of New Zealand coaches and referees has also increased. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The total number of registered coaches now stands at 9947, a 10 per cent increase on the 2004 figure, while 2215 referees are registered, up eight per cent on 2004.[/font]

</H2>

 

[ozbash]

i think graham henry has bought confidence and a renewed intrest back to the game.

good stuff.

 

[gaterooze]

Serious question -- what doomsayers? Has it ever been suggested that Union's popularity has waned in NZ?

 

[aussies1st]

Its not the popularity that wans in NZ, its the faith. Once the ABs start losing watch out.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

Great to see those under 13 not listerning to their mums and played soccer . I think the biggest jump is also the numbers of girls secondary schools teams .
There was not one girls 1st XV team back in the early nineties and now I heard nearly all girls and Coed schools has a girls 1st XV team and lower grades .

 

[Copa]

What % of the players are female?? How do they promote it to the girls??

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

I wouldn't know how many woman players or what percentage are there . But I do know that there wasn't one single schoolgirl playing the game ten years ago .
And now over 100 girls and CoEd secondary schools in NZ has one or many teams .