Hawke's Bay Rugby Union CEO Mike Bishop, Napier Mayor Bill Dalton and Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule
Rugby in Hawke's Bay is generally in keeping with the growth trend of numbers in the country.
The province had a boost of 510 more people playing the country's No1 sport, from 6184 last year to 6694 this year, according to the chief executive of the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union (HBRU), Mike Bishop.
The growth is generally consistent at all age levels, with the 21-year-olds and over reflecting a rise of 173 more players (from 1094 last year to 1267 this year), an increase of 13 per cent.
The 13 to 20-year-olds have mushroomed from 1791 to 1961, a 9 per cent boost of 170.
The 5 to 12-year-olds have gone from 3299 to 3466, a 6 per cent growth of 167.
"It's good to see youngsters and teenagers see rugby as a worthwhile and recreational interest," says Bishop after New Zealand Rugby a fortnight ago revealed statistics showing its player registration numbers had for the first time topped 150,000 nationally since it kept records from 2001.
The code does not charge child subscription fees in the Bay.
Bishop says the success of the Hawke's Bay Magpies and the All Blacks is crucial in the resurgence of the numbers of youngsters.
The All Blacks also played in Napier in September for the first time in 18 years, hosting the Rugby Championship match against the Argentina Pumas to a sold-out, capacity-plus McLean Park crowd. "It's encouraging there is a retention of numbers and we have new recruits on the other hand.
"It's a sport they want to play more and more, year by year," says Bishop, mindful there is a degree of drop-offs as well. But there is enough evidence of some people, having had a taste of rugby, wanting to return to give it another shot.
The Craig Philpott and Danny Lee-coached Magpies this year won the Ranfurly Shield, the traditional symbol of provincial rugby supremacy, in a challenge against Counties-Manukau at Pukekohe in August during the ITM Cup season, before successfully defending it four times to ensure the Log of Wood is at the HBRU headquarters at McLean Park, Napier, for defences next year.
The Brendon O'Connor-captained Magpies stumbled at the last hurdle of the lower-tier Championship in the cup final to the Manawatu Turbos in Palmerston North last month, to miss out on promotion to the Premiership next season.
Bishop feels the "Daggs and Guildfords" have paved the way for the Bay to show to even those outside the province that there is a defined pathway to Super Rugby and the All Blacks from the Magpies.
Of the 14 unions in the NPC, he says, all have had an increase in playing numbers, bar Counties, Auckland and Canterbury.
The Bay fares well with like-sized unions, though neighbours Manawatu have an edge in the teenage to early 20s age group.
While the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) plays a role here, there is competition from Manawatu, Wellington and Otago, which have universities.
"EIT has a lot of players out there and they're increasing as years go by."
Recent statistics questioned the percentage of homegrown players in teams but Bishop argues it is relative, considering the Northland Rugby Union is happy to have players come from outside its region through "local competition".
"If we count the same situation here, then our imported players are down," he says, picking Magpies utility back Ryan Tongia as coming here of his own volition from Australia to foot it at premier club level to make the cut for Magpies before securing a Highlanders contract.
Bishop says the inclusion of "outsiders" in the NPC is not a modern concept.
"You'll struggle to find any province in the last 120 years that has all players born and bred from their region."
Conversely, the Bay has fallen foul of an exodus of rugby talent. Ex-Napier Boys' High School first XV fullback Sam McNicol, for example, has drifted to Wellington.
"Our first priority is to select local talent but people are making decisions to go elsewhere, so it's [picking outsiders] a fact of life," he says, echoing sentiments of CD Cricket, Hawks basketball and HB United football franchises.
The 11.6 per cent increase in females also conforms with the national trend.
Although the Hawke's Bay Tuis, the province's women's representative team, had lost their perch in the NPC for a while, they still had a rep development programme.
"We re-entered them and the results this year could have been better but they got better as competition got on," he says amid an "ambitious NZ Rugby plan" to boost female numbers.
The weather plays its part, too.
By numbers
This year's rugby figures compared with last year:
HAWKE'S BAY
Overall: 6694 players, up 510 from 6184 (8.3pc).
21+: 1267, up 173 from 1094 (15.8pc).
13-20: 1961, up 170 from 1791 (9.5pc).
5-12: 3466, up 167 from 3299 (5pc).
Females: 480, up 50 from 430 (11.6pc).