Amateur rugby union is still struggling with the impact of coronavirus, with figures suggesting that participation in the sport is yet to return to pre- pandemic levels.
Team sports in general face dwindling numbers, with figures collected by Sport England showing that younger men have been less likely to return to sport than over 35s. The number of active men between the ages of 16 and 34 has fallen by 4 per cent compared with the pre-pandemic level, to 65.8 per cent.
It is a serious concern for governing bodies, especially given there is already a slow decline in numbers in that age group. Rugby union has been hit particularly hard — the full contact nature of the game means that clubs who previously put out 2nd and 3rd XVs are now struggling to fill those shirts.
The RFU’s statistics drawn on local county leagues show 12.5 per cent fewer fixtures being completed since September 2021 compared to the same period in 2017, which was similar in terms of the number of matches.
Clubs report that they have been forced to pick players from the lower XVs for the first teams, impacting their ability to fulfil other team fixtures.
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The picture appears to vary between clubs. Andrew Jeffrey, the chairman of Skipton RFC, who play in the Yorkshire Three division, said participation in men’s rugby has been declining over ten years but the pandemic has had a greater impact on juniors joining the club.
“Perhaps the kids got out of the habit of coming along to rugby and it’s more difficult to tear them away from their PlayStations, and probably because there is less sport in schools,” he said. “This is not only a rugby issue — I hear the same from junior football teams.”
Steve Grainger, the RFU’s director of rugby development, said the governing body is considering ways to encourage higher participation.
He said: “We want to inspire those who have never played to try out the different versions of rugby on offer including Touch Union; our non-contact game and walking rugby. We will also be promoting our All Schools and Inner Warrior camps which give more diverse communities the chance to try out rugby.”
