Rugby numbers continue to kick on

Around 500 more people are signed up to play rugby this year on Auckland’s North Shore.

This year, there are about 10,000 registered players in community rugby in the North Harbour region, up from 9,500 last season.

Harbour Rugby youth rugby manager Jacob Corbett said that he thinks it’s a result of the work that the union has put into growing the game.

“I know North Harbour rugby, we've done a lot of work, from our junior space all the way up to our senior space around creating more offerings, more opportunities, different variations of the game that can fit participants needs rather than making people who want to play rugby fit what we want to do.”

These variations include non-contact versions of the game like 7-a-side and 10-a-side games, and ripper rugby.

There has also been a move away from the traditional Saturday game, changing to Wednesday evenings in a bid to make it more accessible.

“Our mentors and coaches are trying to improve lives through rugby.”

One example of the success of the game is Westlake Boys High School who have seen an uptake of boys signing up to play rugby this year.

Westlake run a successful rugby programme and are the current North Harbour First XV champions.

Director of rugby Hugh McGahan said that students have been registering and weighing-in very quickly.

“We were surprised at just how many boys are playing.”

A common worry about rugby is players suffering head knocks.

“But I think the way that the union has formalised the protocols around concussion management has made parents feel a little bit safer, they know that the boys are going to get looked after.

“And I can only speak on behalf of our school which is stringent on any sort of head knock.

“Even if a boy mentions concussion or mentioned concussion, we just go straight to the protocol.”

The protocol refers to the Four Rs: Recognise, Remove, Recover and Return.

This involves recognising the symptoms of concussions, removing the player from the field, getting the player to see a doctor and then return to contact training after a period of 21 days and a medical clearance.

New Zealand Rugby publishes an annual report on the number of rugby players every year in October.