Rugby’s Ascendancy

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 56, 28 May 1927, Page 12

Rugby’s Ascendancy

SPORT IN CHRISTCHURCH STRENGTH OF THE GAMES (Special to THE SUN.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Winter sport is popular in Christchurch, and every week nearly 7,000 players take part in organised games. The greatest number of adherents Is claimed by Rugby Union football. There are 96 teams, exclusive of the schoolboys’ grade, playing in the competitions of the Canterbury Rugby Union. Allowing three emergencies to each team this makes a total of 1,730 players. Each Saturday in the secondary schools* competition there are about 60 teams, and using the same calculation 1,080 boys play Rugby for their schools. In the primary schools’ competitions there are 59 teams and 1.070 players. This brings the Rugby tally to 3,870.

Roughly League Rugby has 530 players, allowing three reserves for each side, and 33 teams in action.

Association football is played by about 1,000 every week, including the schools players.

Hockey is increasing every year, and this year there are 40 men’s teams and 12 school teams. In hockey two emergencies are allowed for each team put in the field, and the number of players for each Saturday is 680. Women’s hockey teams number 23, and players about 300.

Basketball is making progress and there are 36 teams in the game this season. One emergency for each team is allowed in the calculation of the number of players which comes out at about 350.