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NZRU injects $25m into grassroots
September 11, 2007 - 2:53PM
The New Zealand Rugby Union announced a $NZ25 million ($A21 million) boost for the sport's grassroots on Tuesday.
However, it expressed disappointment at a four per cent or 5000 drop in playing numbers this year (136,059) compared with last year (141,241), after boasting a general increase of 13 per cent between 2004 and 2007.
Though there were a number of reasons for the significant decline in one year, it appeared the biggest drop-offs were in the bigger centres and among the upper teens.
Under its new community rugby plan, the union will invest $25 million between 2008 and 2011, taking its total investment in community rugby to $NZ48 million ($A40.5 million) over eight years.