23 Sep 2008

Rugby playing numbers increases

6:56 pm on 23 September 2008

There has been a solid increase in the number of people playing rugby in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Rugby Union says player numbers for 2008 are over the 140,000 mark.

That represents a three percent increase on last year's figures.

The NZRU General Manager Community and Provincial Union Rugby, Brent Anderson, says the rise in numbers is a boost for the game.

He says overall since 2004 there has been a sixteen percent increase in player numbers.