Participation Levels in Rugby League See Mixed Results, With Drop in Men’s Game but Increase in Women’s
Sport England’s Annual Survey Reveals Varied Trends
The latest data from Sport England’s annual survey on sports participation across the country has revealed a mixed picture for rugby league. While the men’s game has seen a decline, the women’s side of the sport has experienced a slight uptick.
The survey, which defines a participant as someone who has engaged in a sporting activity at least twice within a one-month period, shows that overall team sports participation has increased by 6% for men and 8% for women in the year ending November 2023.
“The combined effect of the men’s decline and women’s rise has resulted in an overall drop in rugby league participation, from 54,200 to 52,800.”
Decline in Men’s Rugby League, Rise in Women’s
Participation in the men’s game has fallen by 4%, dropping from 42,100 to 40,600. Conversely, the women’s rugby league has seen a 1% increase, rising from 12,100 to 12,200.
These figures stand in contrast to the trends observed in rugby union. The 15-player code has enjoyed a significant surge in participation for men, up 17% to 183,700. However, the women’s game in rugby union has seen a 6% decrease, falling to 34,500 from 36,700.
Mixed Fortunes Across Sports
The mixed fortunes in rugby league mirror the trends seen in other sports, such as netball, which has experienced a 2% drop in participation, and cricket and football, which have seen declines of 6% and 5%, respectively.
These participation figures provide a nuanced snapshot of the current state of play across different sports in England. While the women’s rugby league game has shown resilience, the challenge remains to reinvigorate interest and involvement in the men’s side of the sport.
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