When 2018 echoes 1910

There are fewer men's club rugby teams in Wellington today, compared to 1910 when this photo was taken at Athletic Park, when Wellington played Otago.

In absolute and relative terms is rugby really growing?

A look back through history suggests that on both counts, the game in this country is not in as a good health as may be suggested by the official media releases which are made from time to time.

In 1938, there were 141 men's club teams (2,800 players) in Wellington Rugby’s annual club competition. In 2018, there are only 64 teams, 55% fewer. Including the eight women's club teams playing today, the total number of club teams in the Wellington competition today is only one more (72) than the total number in the Wellington club competition 108 years ago, in 1910 (when there were 71 teams).

The harsh reality is that without the growth of the women's game in recent years, the number of teams playing rugby in Wellington today would be fewer than those that played at the start of the twentieth century, which was only when rugby was really taking-off as New Zealand’s national game. However, even including the growth in the women's game, the club participation level in Wellington today overall is only at the same level that it was well over a century ago.

Readers should also note that Wellington’s population has more than doubled over this period, meaning participation in the game has fallen dramatically in relative terms.

Noting the recently announced review of Secondary School Rugby by New Zealand Rugby, it’s also interesting to look at the secondary school game in Wellington over the same period. In 1934, there were 80 boys secondary school teams in the Wellington competition, 80 years later (excluding the twelve girls teams), there are 86. Back then, there were only 9 schools in the secondary school competition, (compared to 25 today). Wellington College comprised a quarter of the total secondary school teams in 1934 but make up only 11% of participating teams today.

While the number of participating secondary school teams is only 7% greater than 1934, the number of participating schools has nearly trebled, indicating that the level of participation within each school (on average) has dramatically fallen. To be blunt, rugby is no longer a primary sporting choice of secondary school students.

In summary, the statistics tell a simple story.

In absolute terms, interest in rugby has fallen as a community sport in Wellington. In relative terms, Wellington’s local population is more interested in other sports, or is less interested in participating in sport overall. And finally, those that play rugby at school are not playing community rugby when they leave.

Some may suggest that the horse has bolted and that Wellington’s clubs are on a downward curve in terms of membership and participation. This writer is not so pessimistic, on the basis that clubs still have an important role in building strong communities based on a common love of the game.

For example, it was great to see that in the teams Marist St Pat's fielded this weekend (as provided to us on Friday) and last in the Jubilee Cup, there were 16 St. Patrick’s College Old-Boys in each squad.

The match between Wellington and Otago played on 10 September 1910, was won 19-6 by the home team. Among the try-scorers that day was Oriental’s Fred Roberts, whose club also won the Senior Championship that year. A former All Black, some four years later Roberts took to the field for Oriental at Athletic Park following his earlier retirement from the game, to inspire the younger members of the club.

Leadership comes from the top and there is still a chance for rugby’s leaders to show our communities why the game is not yet over.