Number of Participants in NZ : Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:23 pm  

Does anyone know where I can find out how many people are playing the game in NZ (particularly at junior level)?

I've tried the NZRL site but it's useless. Are there any articles that have mentioned it, even vaguely? I need it for my study. Thanks to anyone that can help.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:01 pm  

if you want PM me your details and I can send you the recent independant report into the NZRL which may help with your studies.

I beleive in 2008 it was only about 18,000 registered players (excluding schools).

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:58 pm  

I'm not sure this qualifies for an "only". NZ's population is approx 3m. Assume 1.5m men. Assume an average lifespan of 80 and there'll be roughly 25% of those men in the 18-38 age bracket who might be playing RL (if you exclude schools). Which is 375,000 men of RL-playing age. So 4.8% of the likely population are playing RL, or nearly 1 in every 20 men of that age bracket plays RL. In the UK, with a population of 60m, we'd need 20 times their number to have the same proportion. That'd be 360,000 men playing, excluding schools. I don't think we have that sort of stat.

I might be wrong though.

I'll go hang my anorak up now.

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 12:03 am  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

I'm not sure this qualifies for an "only". NZ's population is approx 3m. Assume 1.5m men. Assume an average lifespan of 80 and there'll be roughly 25% of those men in the 18-38 age bracket who might be playing RL (if you exclude schools). Which is 375,000 men of RL-playing age. So 4.8% of the likely population are playing RL, or nearly 1 in every 20 men of that age bracket plays RL. In the UK, with a population of 60m, we'd need 20 times their number to have the same proportion. That'd be 360,000 men playing, excluding schools. I don't think we have that sort of stat.

I might be wrong though.

I'll go hang my anorak up now.

Not just men, excluding players who play through their school.

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 12:06 am  

Roy Haggerty wrote:

I'm not sure this qualifies for an "only". NZ's population is approx 3m. Assume 1.5m men. Assume an average lifespan of 80 and there'll be roughly 25% of those men in the 18-38 age bracket who might be playing RL (if you exclude schools). Which is 375,000 men of RL-playing age. So 4.8% of the likely population are playing RL, or nearly 1 in every 20 men of that age bracket plays RL. In the UK, with a population of 60m, we'd need 20 times their number to have the same proportion. That'd be 360,000 men playing, excluding schools. I don't think we have that sort of stat.

I might be wrong though.

I'll go hang my anorak up now.

Rugby union yes League no where near

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 12:29 am  

was'nt it in the SPARC report a few weeks ago?

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 2:16 am  

Wasnt the whole list brought up on the international board a few months back too? Its a safe bet to say that Spud commented on it

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 3:04 am  

the SPARC report puts the figure @ 17,000...down from 30-40,000 in the 1990's

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:12 am  

roughyedspud wrote:

the SPARC report puts the figure @ 17,000...down from 30-40,000 in the 1990's

Reading through the report (which makes quite depressive reading might I add, the NZRL is poorly run by the looks of things!), the number of REGISTERED players is just under 17,000. That's ALL registered players, Roy, not just men in the 18-36 bracket. In comparison to other sports in NZ, it is very low. Soccer (128k) and RU (130k) dwarf it.

The 90s figure used different (and poor) methods of calculation to work out the number, apparently counting some people twice and using over-zealous methods of multiplying. It is an increase from 2007, but there has been a steady decline between 2002-2007 apparently.

The NZRL needs a complete overhall. If it wasn't for Australia, NZ would be sh*t on the international stage. And they pretty much admit that in their review.

Shocking for a nation that is the World Champions.

: Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:43 am  

the number of NZ eligible players in australia with NRL clubs, under 20s is through the roof.

the game in new zealand isnt much of a deal.

the Warriors have an Under 20s team, there is an Auckland team in the Premier League.

there are loads more actual NZ NRL players now than in the 90s so the figures are clearly misleading.