POPULARITY OF RUGBY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27441, 30 August 1954, Page 8

POPULARITY OF RUGBY

50,000 Players In N.Z.

This Season

STRONG NORTH ISLAND UNIONS (Hew Zealana PreiS Association) AUCKLAND, August 28.

A total of 2734 registered teams, or, including emergencies, more -than 50,000 players, are taking part in competitions controlled by bodies affiliated to the New Zealand Rugby Union. Of the number, 1867 are located in North Island unions. Auckland, with 443 teams, has almost double the 1 number of the next largest union, Wellington. The figures, which do not include schoolboy teams, were supplied to a council meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union in support of a suggestion, deferred for later discussion, that because of the preponderant strength of the North Island, the presidency of the New Zealand union should be awarded in the proportion of two North Islanders to one South Islander instead of one to one as at the moment. The suggestion was made by Mr G. Brown (Manawatul. Teams registered under the various provincial unions are as follows: North Auckland 173. Auckland 443, Thames Valley 50, Waikato 182, Bay of Plenty 117, King Country 61, Taranaki 138, Wanganui 83, Manawatu 63, East Coast 32, Poverty Bay 61, Hawke’s Bay 140, Bush Districts 32, Wairarapa 45, Horowhenua 32, Wellington 235. Marlborough 37, Nelson 64, Golden Bay-Motueka 36, Buller 41, West Coast 63. Canterbury 177, Mid-Canterbury 27, South Canterbury 64, North Otago 37, Otago 184. Southland 137.