Source: Radio New Zealand
Fehi Fineanganofo of the Hurricanes celebrates. © Photosport Ltd 2026 www.photosport.nz
The New Zealand Rugby boss insists the game is in good health.
While fans continue to flock to Warriors’ NRL games, the general supporter response to Super Rugby games has been poor. Although, the new Christchurch Te Kaha Stadium was sold out for the Super Round last weekend.
“It’s in good health,” NZR interim CEO Steve Lancaster told Morning Report. “We tend to get trapped in this cycle of quite a negative narrative about the game.”
“As New Zealanders and particularly people that care about the game, we hold ourselves to a really high bar in terms of what we expect of the game, so we tend to feel the things that aren’t right in the game.”
Lancaster said they do face challenges recruiting and retaining players, but he believes the code isn’t struggling. He said the reality is that things are very good.
“We’ve got strong direction at a national level through a new board and we have sound investment through our provincial union network into the community game.”
He does acknowledge they have some issues.
“We know there are some challenges around junior participation, we know there are challenges around the perception of risk and injury, but we’re not sitting idly by, we’re working very hard on addressing them.”
Children playing rippa rugby. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Lancaster said facts show that rugby is a safe game for youngsters.
“A child would have to play 750 games to be likely to suffer a concussion, it is a safe game at junior level.
“We know from ACC data that a child is more likely to suffer a bone fracture or sprain in the playground at school than they are playing rugby … but that is not the perception.”
Some sections of the media said despite a great turnout in Christchurch last weekend, there were many issues still hanging over the game that a bumper weekend couldn’t mask.
Lancaster said he came away from the Super Rugby in Christchurch feeling very positive about the game.
“Three sellout days show that when you get the product mix and the venue mix right, then people will come and they will love it.”
Bill McCormick, the general manager of Papatoetoe Rugby Club, told RNZ that he believes South Auckland rugby clubs are almost on “life-support” due to decreasing player numbers, with rugby league the biggest threat.
McCormick said they were down about 25 percent with junior numbers and about the same with adult numbers.
Lancaster said they’re not seeing that (trend) across Auckland with the likes of the Ōtāhuhu Rugby Club are up 50 percent on junior registrations and Manukau up 30 percent.
“We have over 470 rugby clubs nation-wide and there will always be clubs having challenges but there are clubs that are really thriving at a junior level.”
Fans during the Super Rugby Pacific Super Round match – Crusaders vs Waratahs at Te Kaha Stadium, Christchurch, 2026. © Photosport Ltd 2026 www.photosport.nz
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
