1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: So rugby might be on a bit of a revival. 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: Role player registration numbers, new numbers. Registrations are up six 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: percent on the year. We got one hundred and fifty 4 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 1: six thousand registered players across the country, Heartland provinces. They're 5 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: run setting new records which is good. Now the ends 6 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: it ours Community Rugby General manager Steve Lancaster with us. 7 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 2: Good morning, morning White. Tell you what if you watch the. 8 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: MPC final, which I did, that makes you want to 9 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: play rugby, doesn't it all? 10 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 3: I would hope. So, I mean we had we had 11 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 3: two finals and two weeks that went to extra time, 12 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 3: so across the in fact, across the farre par Mer Cup, 13 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 3: the Heartland Championship in the NPC. We we've got some 14 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 3: great advertisements for the community game in the last month. 15 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 2: What what drives registration. 16 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 3: The participants experience more than anything, right so, and that 17 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 3: speaks to retention as much as anything. But if people 18 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 3: are having a good time and coming back, they're really 19 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 3: telling other people about it, speaking positively about the game, 20 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 3: and that draws more people. So a lot of our 21 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 3: focus is on ensuring that our participants, be they players, coaches, referees, volunteers, 22 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 3: are enjoying their experience. 23 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 2: And is it school or is it club? 24 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 3: It's all of that and the numbers that we've released 25 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 3: this week, we've seen growth across all segments really pleasingly. 26 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 3: We've seen just over five percent increasing teenage boys, which 27 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 3: is an area that is often called out as a 28 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,119 Speaker 3: declining area forticipation, but we're also seeing club growth across 29 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 3: the spectrum as well. 30 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: Geez, that's exciting, isn't it. And in the Heartland is 31 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: it different and you're seeing success there because of the 32 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: community aspect of it or not? 33 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, I said so. I mean the numbers across the 34 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 3: heart of the unions are at a record high. So 35 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 3: we've got more people playing rugby and Heartland provinces than 36 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,479 Speaker 3: ever had before and that's really exciting. And I think 37 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 3: that is true that there's a slightly different experience in 38 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 3: rugby holds a slightly different place than those communities. So 39 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 3: we're really pleased with that result as well. 40 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: So have you turned the tide or was the tide 41 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: never needing turning? Because the reputation or the myth or 42 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: the whatever you want to call it, was that rugby's dying. 43 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 2: People don't play it anymore. 44 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: They all get injured, Mum and dad can't take you 45 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: across to the game, so the whole thing's in trouble. 46 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: Was that ever true? 47 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 3: No, I don't think so. I think the rhetoric of 48 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 3: that outweighed the reality, if we're honest. Although look, we 49 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 3: don't shy away from the fact that we have had 50 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,239 Speaker 3: declining numbers in some segments, and so it's nice to 51 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 3: see them all rebounding after COVID. But you've touched on it. 52 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 3: There's perceptions, particularly perceptions around injury that actually just aren't accurate, 53 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 3: and so a lot of our work now is on 54 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 3: ensuring that we're putting factual information out there about those 55 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 3: sort of things as well. 56 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: And do you see the connection between more people playing 57 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: and the All Blacks the elite level of the game, 58 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:35,239 Speaker 1: or are they completely separate things. A great player is 59 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 1: going to be a great player, whether you know a 60 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: bunch of kids play it at school. 61 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 3: No, we do see a connection, and it's something we've 62 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 3: actually we've debated a lot internally, is whether, in fact, 63 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 3: the long term success that the All Blacks is dependent on 64 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 3: the game being the game of choice for the Zelanders. 65 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 3: But way we've blanned is that it is that you know. 66 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 3: It can only enhance the prospects of the All Blacks 67 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 3: continuing to an on the world stage if more people 68 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 3: are playing the game at all levels. 69 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 2: I think that's true. 70 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 1: Steve go Well, Steve Lancaster ins at our community, Rugby 71 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 1: General Manager, looking forward to the weekend. Of course, in 72 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: Britain brought back memories. 73 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 2: There are the Shirley under sevens. 74 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 75 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: News Talks at B from six am weekdays, or follow 76 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.