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<blockquote data-quote="scuubasteve" data-source="post: 156968"><p>All sport is struggling in NZ these days. There are so many other things to do apart from sport that its enevitable that people don't follow rugby with as much passion as 50years ago.</p><p></p><p>It's also true that Rugby is strongest in the provinces. Participation rates and fan support are still strongest (per capita) in the more rural provinces in NZ. Places like Southland, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay and Taranaki have less to compete with Rugby as a primary entertainment spectacle. Auckland on the contrary (and particularly North Harbour) doesn't get as many people due to a couple of factors.</p><p></p><p>One is that there are more things to compete with. Music concerts being an obvious one. But also, the major metropolitan areas tend to have the biggest concentrations of migrants, usually from Nations where rugby isn't well known (India, China). So, as immigration trends continue, first generation Kiwi's won't have as much to do with rugby as traditional Kiwi's.</p><p></p><p>But as with anything, once people become emmersed in the cultures of their new home, then they will start to take more notice of traditions. Rugby being a big one in NZ.</p><p></p><p>The mass marketing and media converage of rugby these days makes it almost impossible for people to ignore the game without deliberately ignoring it. It is these people, who make an effort to not follow or enjoy rugby (or usually sports in general) that will say they hate rugby.</p><p></p><p>It is also true that Polynesian kids tend to mature faster and are bigger at a younger age. Due to this fact of nature, simple age grade rugby has made it difficult for kids of European decent to compete and for their parents (mothers of course) to fear that little Jonny will get hurt. So a lot of European kids turn away from the game before they can compete equally.</p><p></p><p>New initiatives from the NZRU to introduce weight grade rugby comps should alleviate some of this issue. As will the new game of 'Ripper Rugby' which is the one where you have a 'flag' (hankerchief like cloth hanging out of each pocket) and instead of getting tackled, the opposition has to pull one of these 'flags' . This takes the contact factor out of the game for kids.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="scuubasteve, post: 156968"] All sport is struggling in NZ these days. There are so many other things to do apart from sport that its enevitable that people don't follow rugby with as much passion as 50years ago. It's also true that Rugby is strongest in the provinces. Participation rates and fan support are still strongest (per capita) in the more rural provinces in NZ. Places like Southland, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay and Taranaki have less to compete with Rugby as a primary entertainment spectacle. Auckland on the contrary (and particularly North Harbour) doesn't get as many people due to a couple of factors. One is that there are more things to compete with. Music concerts being an obvious one. But also, the major metropolitan areas tend to have the biggest concentrations of migrants, usually from Nations where rugby isn't well known (India, China). So, as immigration trends continue, first generation Kiwi's won't have as much to do with rugby as traditional Kiwi's. But as with anything, once people become emmersed in the cultures of their new home, then they will start to take more notice of traditions. Rugby being a big one in NZ. The mass marketing and media converage of rugby these days makes it almost impossible for people to ignore the game without deliberately ignoring it. It is these people, who make an effort to not follow or enjoy rugby (or usually sports in general) that will say they hate rugby. It is also true that Polynesian kids tend to mature faster and are bigger at a younger age. Due to this fact of nature, simple age grade rugby has made it difficult for kids of European decent to compete and for their parents (mothers of course) to fear that little Jonny will get hurt. So a lot of European kids turn away from the game before they can compete equally. New initiatives from the NZRU to introduce weight grade rugby comps should alleviate some of this issue. As will the new game of 'Ripper Rugby' which is the one where you have a 'flag' (hankerchief like cloth hanging out of each pocket) and instead of getting tackled, the opposition has to pull one of these 'flags' . This takes the contact factor out of the game for kids. [/QUOTE]
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