Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle: Kids still choosing rugby in ‘challenged’ landscape

School rugby numbers are still kicking goals, despite a ‘challenged’ sporting landscape, says RA boss.

Rugby chief Raelene Castle, right, maintains the number of kids opting to play rugby union is on the rise. Pictures:

Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle maintains the number of kids opting to play rugby union is on the rise, despite ongoing speculation about the code’s decline and the loss of its traditional breeding grounds.

Ms Castle said the sport continued to be a popular choice in schools across the country and that it remained entrenched in its primary private school talent pools in New South Wales and Queensland.

“I don’t see it as safeguarding (those breeding grounds),” Ms Castle told The Australia.

“I don’t like that word, we’re in a modern world, there’s competition and there’s other sports.

“Young people should be playing all sports but we want to make sure we give them the opportunity to have a rugby experience and if they also choose to have an AFL experience that’s OK because that’s about being wide skills sets.

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“We have grown over the last couple of years, we’ve had small increases – they are not monumental but it’s a challenged landscape that community sport has across all sports.

“We’ve had some very positive things happen, we’ve had growth in boys 15s, we’ve had five new rugby clubs start, we’ve had six new school rugby competitions start, our girls’ numbers are either double or triple-digit growth across Australia.”

Castle’s number one priority

Ms Castle, who was born in Australia but spent her formative years on the far side of the Tasman, reaffirmed her commitment to the Wallabies and their plans for success.

“I don’t think anyone that works with me or knows me well would think that I want anything other than the best for rugby Australia and I’m working for this organisation because I’m incredibly proud to work for it.

“Did I used to cheer for the All Blacks? Yes.

“Do I now have a very different perspective? Of course I do because the number one priority for me is making sure that the Wallabies win.”

“I wear green and gold and I’m incredibly proud to work for this organisation and that’s why I ensured I got my citizenship to make sure that I travel on my Australian passport.”

Asked what her measure of success would be when her tenure at Rugby Australia came to an end, Ms Castle said she hoped she would be able to leave a legacy of growth both in the sport’s popularity and, in turn, its ledger books.

“You’d like to think that all your major measures have grown, more commercial revenue, more Wallabies wins more wallaroo wins, more 7s wins and more people playing the game and engaging with the game,” she said.

“The reality of delivering all those things is not straightforward in a very challenging landscape.”