Rugby pulls in more players

By BILL LOTHIAN
SCOTTISH Rugby was today set to unveil a seasonal boost with a 21 per cent overall increase in playing numbers compared with two years ago.
Figures about to be released by the Murrayfield authorities will show there were 10,500 adult players in 2008. Two years previously there were 9000 active participants outwith the youth grades.

Similarly the number of youth players has jumped from 15,200 in 2006 to 20,000. Here the growth rate is 26 per cent.

An SRU insider said: "The figures are based on club memberships as well as insurance and school returns.

"Our own on-line registration system also confirms information provided by regional development officers. Basically the increases are attributed to a revised club focus development structure which brings together funding for clubs from local businesses and local authorities."

This article was posted on 6-Jan-2009, 12:32 by Hugh Barrow.