Another positive year of community rugby saw a six per cent increase in registrations across the board, with 155,568 players taking the field this season.

The increases included a 15% increase in women and girls numbers, with 33,757 participants, a record number of players in the game. 

Heartland Rugby Unions are celebrating a seven per cent increase in their 28,406 registered players.

The focus area of teenage boys' participation has also grown, and there has been a steady rise since Covid. Now, 29,153 participants are lacing up their boots across the country.

The continued growth in the community game can be attributed to the great work that Provincial Unions are doing across the country NZR general manager of community rugby Steve Lancaster said

“Rugby continues to rebound post-Covid and I’d like to acknowledge the Provincial Unions for their work to deliver rugby in their communities."

“These numbers also show an increase in diversity in our game, across ages, gender and ethnicity, which further affirms our efforts to ensure that rugby is a game for everyone,” said Lancaster.

With more women and girls playing rugby than ever before, Lancaster highlighted the success of the Girls Activator programmes that have been run across the country for the past three years.

“With the support of Sport NZ, we have 30 roles across the Provincial Unions specifically targeted to increasing the participation of young girls in our game. The Unions have the freedom to tailor these roles and programmes to suit the needs of their communities, and the outcomes speak for themselves.”

Off-field, registered coaches grew 10% to 10,154, while active referees decreased by three per cent.

“We know referees are a vital part of our game, and with rising participation, we need to see more people picking up the whistle, so it’s an area we’ll actively invest in,” said Lancaster.

Participants also enjoy themselves in the game. The recent Sport NZ Voice of Participants Survey results provide positive feedback, with some of the highest scores since 2019.