The New Zealand Rugby announced yesterday playing numbers had rebounded significantly this year.
Down 4% nationally in 2007, they had risen to 140,279 players this year, a 3% increase on the 2007 figure of 136,059.
Otago Rugby Football Union amateur rugby manager Justin Gardner said he was very happy with the growth in numbers in the province.
There had been 3% growth in players up to 12 years old, from 13 to 20 growth had been flat, while 21 and over growth had been about 8%.
He said primary schools competitions played on weekday afternoons boosted numbers, as did a rippa rugby competition started in Queenstown.
The success of the Queenstown competition meant it would be introduced to other areas such as Alexandra, Cromwell and Balclutha.
Rippa rugby at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin was a success, with more than 50 teams involved.
The growth in adult numbers came through a popular student competition.
He was happy with the numbers at secondary school level, as schools offered so many different sports and rugby was holding its own.
A new Highlanders secondary schools competition would start in the second term of next year.
It would feature four teams from Southland, six teams from Otago, and two teams from North Otago.
Inter-school fixtures would double as games in this competition.
Games would be played on Saturday afternoons.
All other Super 14 franchises had franchise-wide secondary school competitions and it had made a major impact on raising playing standards, Gardner said.
NZRU community rugby manager Brent Anderson said the rise in playing numbers was a big boost for the game, and provincial unions should be credited for the rise in numbers.
One of the areas of significant growth was in the under-13 age group, where 7% more children played rugby this year - a total of 68,897 compared to 64,342 in 2007.
More coaches and referees were also involved in the game this year, with 10,287 coaches registered in 2008, up by 13% from the previous year.
Referee numbers were up to 2394 this year, a 3% rise from 2007.
There has been a slight decrease, 1%, in the number of teenagers playing rugby.
