Is rugby slipping in popularity in NZ?
Roar Guru By Harry Kimble, 4 Mar 2010 Harry Kimble is a Roar Guru
Having just returned from a few weeks in New Zealand, visiting all major rugby areas except Wellington, it appeared to me that interest in the game is on the wane.
Looking at the crowds at the New Zealand Super 14 venues, they seem quite poor compared to last year.
It was only in Christchurch that there seemed any passion for their home team. It was there that anyone really wore the colours of their home team. There was also RWC2011 advertising in the main square, which showed that the locals cared.
I did not see a single Blues Guernsey being worn in Auckland or Rotorua, but did see lots of Warriors league Guernseys and English soccer shirts in both places. In Hamilton, a couple of Chiefs polo shirts were noticed.
Even at the All Black shop, the Warrior league strip was on sale.
However, in all places there was a smattering of black shirts. A lot had the words “All Blacks” under the silver fern, but then again, a lot simply said “New Zealand”.
There is a rugby channel on pay TV but I did not get the opportunity to see it. On the TV I did get to see, there was little rugby, only Super 14 and the European Six Nations.
What was being shown was replays of Australian league games and EPL soccer games. Pubs advertised to come and watch the EPL games on their screens.
The Manly league team has done a deal to have all their games shown on Maori TV, a sign that league is expanding quite well, particularly along the Auckland-Rororua axis.
Rugby posts could be seen in most schools and some parks, but a lot more soccer posts had appeared in open areas and parkland than I remember since my last visit.
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March 4th 2010 @ 8:12am
LH said | March 4th 2010 @ 8:12am | Report comment
Rugyb is still a religion in NZ. Its part of our culture and many fans aren’t happy with rugby but those running the sport.
March 4th 2010 @ 9:44am
Sam said | March 4th 2010 @ 9:44am | Report comment
This this article goes into no depth at all. From what I have seen and heard in NZ, the Super 14 is doing much better than last year. Membership numbers are up, and pre-season games were really well attended. Viewing figures are up on last season as well. The Crusaders-Highlanders game in Chch was well attended, as was the Blue-Hurricanes game in Auckland. Generally rugby gets more and more popular as the season progresses, and as most people have mentioned here, most Kiwi’s (me included) thinks the competition starts a bit early. I mean we have a cricket tour that just started last week! The buzz about the RWC is pretty good, and if it’s anything like the Lions tour of 2005 – and i’m sure it’ll be much much bigger – then rugby will be the only thing on everyones mind for a couple of months next year.
March 4th 2010 @ 9:51am
jake said | March 4th 2010 @ 9:51am | Report comment
I disagree that it is religion in NZ, Alot of kiwis inc. myself happen to think it is a very boring spectator sport! I prefer other sports such as League, Cricket and Football. To say that it it religion in NZ is a bit of an overstatement. Its definatley the number one sport in terms of media attention and the All Blacks are the highest profile team but i wouldn’t call it religion. Football in South America now that’s Religion!!!!!
March 4th 2010 @ 10:05am
LH said | March 4th 2010 @ 10:05am | Report comment
And there are millions and millions of Kiwi’s inc. myself who finds rugby league a very boring spectator sport ! You wouldn’t understand if your a rugby league fan with a chip on his shoulder towards rugby union. It is a religion and part of NZ culture Jake.
March 4th 2010 @ 10:17am
NZWarriors No1fan said | March 4th 2010 @ 10:17am | Report comment
Are you from another planet Jake ? Im a hardcore rugby league fan and even I know rugby union is a religion in New Zealand. The NZ herald yersterday mention that there are over 28,000 rugby union players in high school teams around the country.
We only have 15,000 players playing rugby league in all level in NZ and that number is still falling. We can’t seem to be able to get kids playing rugby league and my local club (Otahuhu) now only have a number of teams in the junior levels. We used to have over 40 teams five years ago and now we only have 8 and its not looking good.
March 4th 2010 @ 10:23am
Mr Fuji said | March 4th 2010 @ 10:23am | Report comment
Next you’ll be saying rugby union is not a religion in Fiji. Denial is an emotional sickness Jake and most mungoes have them.
March 4th 2010 @ 1:03pm
Corey said | March 4th 2010 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
Ahh, Mr Fuji, I noticed one thing about Fiji, it loves all sport. The egg ball games are far ahead of any sport, but they will play 7′s, 13′s and 15′s. Its not just Union, its everything with contact and speed, I think they would follow Gridiron if given the chance, along with AFL.
March 4th 2010 @ 11:23pm
Mr Fuji said | March 4th 2010 @ 11:23pm | Report comment
Thats what you league guys will be saying. If Fiji love all sports then why aren’t there 10,000 rugby league players or all schools in Fiji playing rugby league ? Why are there only a couple of pub teams and school kids playing rugby league which is less than 1000 playing ?
Rugby union is a religion in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and NZ. Live with it.
March 4th 2010 @ 11:51pm
LH said | March 4th 2010 @ 11:51pm | Report comment
Corey, Im half Fijian and I live in Fiji. Its a rugby union country and a rugby union is a religion in Fiji . The majority of those rugby union players play soccer in the off-season. Rugby league is only a minority sport here . Its way down after rugby, soccer, netball, basketball, hockey, volleyball and even afl.
March 5th 2010 @ 8:12am
Matt S said | March 5th 2010 @ 8:12am | Report comment
LH, tell the truth. Don’t decend into lies. Even a neutral could tell you the remarkable rise of lesgue in Fiji. It has TV coverage, major sponsorship in vodapone, and most union players like to give it a go.
AFL more popular, yeah, your credibility went with that comment! Put Jarryd Hayne on the main stree tof Fiji and he’d be swamped now!
March 6th 2010 @ 9:07am
LH said | March 6th 2010 @ 9:07am | Report comment
You leaguies seem to turn a blind eye when your code is been challenged. Im saying that AFL has more clubs and juniors players in Fiji than rugby league. There are more schools playing AFL than rugby league. Don’t get upset at me matty s if your sport fail to develop. If your defenition of most rugby union like to give league a go is true then there should be 30,000 rugby league players in Fiji. But its not even anywhere near that. Not 20,000, 10,000, 5000, 2500 or even 1000.
Come to Fiji and you will see that rugby league is only a minor sport played by a few rugby union villages in the countryside and by rugby union players in some schools. Vodafone also sponsors basketball, school and club AFL, softball, hockey, boxing and cricket. Rugby league coverage of one NRL game a week are only on pay TV and they don’t show any local rugby league on any TV. Compared that school rugby, club, provincial, Pacific Cup rugby, Pacific nations cup, local 7′s, international 7′s, Super 14, NPC and international matches shown live on free to air tv for 12 months .
Jarryd Hayne might be a star in NSW and Queensland but here in Fiji he is not Waisale Serevi, Napolioni Nalaga, Caucau, Little, William Ryder, Dalesau, 7′s stars or 15′s internationals players. The majority of the population wouldn’t know who Haynes is because he doesn’t live in Fiji. Tuquri been here in the past he wasn’t swamp by locals because rugby league stars in Australia are nobobys here in Fiji.
March 4th 2010 @ 1:49pm
jake said | March 4th 2010 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
Guys Chill!!!! Not once did i say that RU wasn’t the number 1 code in NZ or that the playing numbers weren’t strong and Mr Fuji i couldn’t give two hoots about Fiji. All im saying is that giving it this “religion” like status is a bit misleading!! There is alot of interest amongst other sports in New Zealand. I know many people who prefer League or Football. How many die-hard rugby fans will be amongst the 34,000 that will pack into Westpac stadium for the Phoenix play-off this weekend??
My brother went to Argentina for a school 1st 11 Football trip. He said that flying into Buenos Aires whole suburbs were painted in team colours, at games fans were separated from the crowd with a moat and barbed wire fences, grown men were balling there eyes out after their team lost and away fans were let out of the stadiums half an hr early so that they could pretty much sprint for there lives!!!!
I would say that this is more of an example of a fanatical “religious” sporting following in a country! much more than Rugby in NZ.
March 4th 2010 @ 2:00pm
JF said | March 4th 2010 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
I actually agree with you jake.
I don’t think Australians or Kiwis are capable of giving any sport the ‘religious’ status that football in Latin America/Italy/Spain is associated with. It is just not in our culture to be that fanatical about anything, its a latin thing.
March 4th 2010 @ 2:05pm
jake said | March 4th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
Thank you JF, all i was trying to say!!!
March 4th 2010 @ 2:47pm
BigAl said | March 4th 2010 @ 2:47pm | Report comment
And it’s no bad thing that we’re not !
March 4th 2010 @ 8:28pm
Roscoe Ringer said | March 4th 2010 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
Been to an EPL/SPL game? As passionate as any latin footie encounter.
March 5th 2010 @ 12:22pm
BigAl said | March 5th 2010 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
What Aus. lacks to generate this ‘passion’ is the poverty stricken demographic !
March 5th 2010 @ 12:40pm
rugbyfuture said | March 5th 2010 @ 12:40pm | Report comment
I agree that the upper class doesnt cheer well at all
March 4th 2010 @ 4:36pm
Brian said | March 4th 2010 @ 4:36pm | Report comment
If you want to experience religious fervor, try Pretoria on a Saturday afternoon in winter. Bloem is not far behind when there’s a test match on. Incredible vibe.
March 4th 2010 @ 5:37pm
sheek said | March 4th 2010 @ 5:37pm | Report comment
Jake/JF,
If Argentina is an example of how we should support our favourite sports, then “no thanks”!
It’s good people have an outlet, a sport they can get into, something to take their mind off the drudgery of everyday life. I think Aussies are pretty balanced, or is the word phlegmatic?
But don’t forget to put things into perspective – there are more important things in life.
Why don’t we find better ways to care for the physically disabled & mentally ill for example???
Sorry, that’s too close to the bone, I suppose….. !
March 5th 2010 @ 1:09pm
MyGeneration said | March 5th 2010 @ 1:09pm | Report comment
Sheek, I’m with you. If you need religion, go to church. Some people seem to have replaced one version of faith with another, or just added sport on to their existing faith. Not sure what to make of this desire to be seen as the most one-eyed, fanatical, borderline psychotic, sporting zealots of all!
Mind you, some sections of the crowd at Australian rugby games could maybe show they care a little more. There’s a reason they’re called RahRahs!
March 4th 2010 @ 11:34pm
Mr Fuji said | March 4th 2010 @ 11:34pm | Report comment
Jumping on the Pheonix success ain’t going to help you Jake. I know many rugby union fans who also going to the Pheonix game and also attended one day cricket. We might not stab each other with knifes and burn each others colours to show our love for our national game but we do love our rugby and the All Blacks. Do you know rugby union tests and NPC makes up most of the top 100 most watched programme in NZ ever. A cousin of mine from Australia couldn’t believe how fanatic we are with rugby union and the All Blacks.
If you stop your hating for our national sport then you might understand . Its obvious you have a painful experience with rugby union in the past.
March 4th 2010 @ 9:56am
chris said | March 4th 2010 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Rugby should take a leaf out of Gridirons book and have a season (including overseas tours)no longer then 8 months.From what i see Rugby starts in NZ in january with S14 trials and goes on till october for the ANZ final and then the AB’s are off to Europe for a tour,so in truth the players get a month of a year to rest and the fans have only 2 months of Rugby in the summer.
OVERKILL.
March 4th 2010 @ 12:04pm
Pete said | March 4th 2010 @ 12:04pm | Report comment
Chris, too much Rugby is never enough
March 4th 2010 @ 10:09am
Anand Antony said | March 4th 2010 @ 10:09am | Report comment
I think people select arguments based on what they wish to happen. I tend to agree aith Sam Taulelei that Rugby will allways be the no 1 sport even though the numbers may fluctuate. I can only hope that Rugby continue as religion in NZ. Let me put this straight. I follow League and give two hoots to Rugby in general. However I find Al Blacks a pleasure to watch – unlike Wallabies and the “barge-in try” experts the Springbocks.
March 4th 2010 @ 10:25am
ohtani's jacket said | March 4th 2010 @ 10:25am | Report comment
Why is any of this a bad thing?
March 4th 2010 @ 11:29am
JF said | March 4th 2010 @ 11:29am | Report comment
I think the lack of popularity of Super Rugby in New Zealand is a good thing. Maybe after a few more seasons of poor crowds and lacking interest, administrators will revert to the qualification tournament that we all want. The whole premise of the NZ and SA super teams is pretty rediculous – it is like nothing else in world sport, can you imagine Liverpool and Everton putting together a joint franchise to compete in the Champions League !!
The NZ rugby public have every right to be disinterested in these contrived franchises playing rugby in February. With the ANZC splitting into two tiers, it makes even more sense to abolish the Super format, bring on the Southern Hemisphere Heineken Cup!
March 4th 2010 @ 11:33am
Hammer said | March 4th 2010 @ 11:33am | Report comment
Well if the Hurricanes wanted to up their crowd numbers and supporter base – they could play some games in the provinces …. scheduling all their games in Wgtn was just a dumb idea – the folly of which is being shown up courtesy of the Phoenix finals qualification … they’re fortunate they in SA this weekend …
March 4th 2010 @ 3:06pm
titus said | March 4th 2010 @ 3:06pm | Report comment
Well Hammer that’s perhaps another indication that the ANZC and Heartland rugby has more identity with NZ rugby fans than the Super14. Sad as it is, the majority of home matches for the NZ S14 teams are in the main centres. In fact, many of the provincial unions prefer it that way because of a potentially bigger gate which comes back to the smaller unions. It enables these smaller unions to be competitive in the ANZC and Heartland comps and survive financially.
I myself identify more to the Wellington Lions teams much more than the Hurricanes even though, apart from a handful of players, it’s essentially the same players. The Super 14 teams are too ‘manufactured’, lack the historical context and too contrived for me to entirely love it. If I imagine I was an East Coast supporter, I’d find it hard to enthuse over supporting my ‘home’ team of the Hurricanes.
I feel that rugby has lost popularity over the past couple of years due to the over saturation (think the same Tri-nations teams, the non-identifiable Super 14 teams) plus the dire kick-athon rugby of past seasons. But even though people are unhappy with the state of rugby, there’s no real alternative. Rugby league is not really a serious rival in the hearts of NZers, despite what Graham Lowe wants. In fact I see football as becoming NZ’s clear second code. NZers moan about the state of rugby not because we hate it, we’re sick of it and are looking for an alternative. It’s because we love it and want to see a better product.
Wait until next year, especially if NZ win the RWC. Rugby will surge again. Not to the levels of the 1950′s and 1960′s where it really was a religion but pretty damn close.
March 4th 2010 @ 4:03pm
Hammer said | March 4th 2010 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
I can agree with some of what you’re saying – the population definitely identifies more with their NPC team – and long may it continue .. but if the provincial unions prefer to have Wgtn hog all the games – why then did the Manuwatu RU go out last season and fund a Highlanders game in PN … from that one act the Highlanders gained a whole new supporter base … and while “apart from a handful of players” the Hurricanes are essentially the Lions – those handful of players make a massive difference
March 4th 2010 @ 5:11pm
titus said | March 4th 2010 @ 5:11pm | Report comment
For sure, maybe Manawatu was one of those unions who wanted a game but didn’t get one. So good on them for arranging a S14 game to boost their coffers.
March 4th 2010 @ 2:58pm
Altona Rebel said | March 4th 2010 @ 2:58pm | Report comment
Been living in Melbourne for the last Six years and I can tell you that I haven’t seen anyone wearing a Guernsey around the City over this summer or any summer (expect when the Nab cup is on), does this mean AFL is dyeing? NO ITS SUMMER. Go to New Zealand next month and all you’ll see is Rugby, Rugby, and Rugby and just for a change some more Rugby
March 4th 2010 @ 3:22pm
titus said | March 4th 2010 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
Exactly. It’s still summer in NZ. Some of the year’s best weather in some parts of NZ is in Feb, March. Come winter and it’s full on. I’ve been to Melbourne in winter and it’s wall-to-wall AFL, in Sydney it’s NRL, NRL, NRL and in London it’s EPL and more EPL. Haven’t been to Sth America but I can imagine.
March 4th 2010 @ 3:46pm
brad said | March 4th 2010 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
Franchises are the root of all evil. The SA teams, who happen to be the best supported have aligned their franchises with the currie cup teams so “Natal sharks” in currie cup are the “sharks” in super rugby. the Jersey changes slightly with the currie cup being the old tradditional style of the last 100 years and super rugby being slightly more flash. The coaches are also the same. Blue Bulls are the Bulls, Golden lions the lions and Free State Cheatahs the Cheatahs. The Stormers are the only exception and play as Western Province in the currie cup but the Stormers have changed their team colours from black to blue to align themselves with WP and the coach is also the same. Wellington Lions (how many lions in wellington anyway?) are the Hurricanes and have a different coach so you lose alot of the history there. New Zealand as a whole has sold out the most to proffesionalism and hides this with the fact there are no sponsorships on the all black jersey so they pretend that they are still “traditional”. I gues NZ rugby has lost alot of its soul and as a result the fans are slightly turned away. Rugby is not the game we once new and that is for sure. Imagine going to your old high school and finding that the old hall has been broken down and the schoold uniforms are completely different? It burns me that I can not do anything about it, I hate the NZ franchises rugby jerseys and their American names (where are those lions in wellington hiding?). Rugby used to pride itself in being traditional and thats what its appeal was. We are becoming more and more american and so the apeal is being lost.
March 4th 2010 @ 5:01pm
titus said | March 4th 2010 @ 5:01pm | Report comment
I think the Wellington ANZC team call themselves the Lions after naming themselves after the mascot. I may be wrong but I think “Leo the Lion” has been the mascot since the 1960′s. The team calling themselves the Lions has only been a recent thing (perhaps since pro rugby came in?)