More than 21,000 Aucklanders are playing rugby, an increase across all ages of six per cent compared with last year.
Auckland Rugby CEO Andy Dalton says it's really encouraging to see the growth in all age groups, particularly in that of players aged 21 and over, which are up by 16 per cent from 3554 to well over 4000.
A large contingent of the 21,352 total figures are children under 12, with more than 10,000 kids running out onto rugby fields across Auckland during the winter.