Tim - How many professional rugby players are there? Or do you have a link to such info.
Take womenās number out of the equation and hereās what your looking at % wise of playing numbers of union v population
Australia 85k / 23m = 1.6%
New Zealand 130k / 4.4m = 2.9%
England 1.4m / 54.7m = 2.5%
France 350k / 66m = 0.5%
Ireland 140k / 6.4m = 2.2%
Wales 50k/ 3m = 2.5%
A small elitist game played on a world stage by a small elitist group.
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Experience
Is it true the IRFU include tag players in their numbers of those actively playing rubby? 
Would you believe thereās an international Tag Rugby team 
Not true ref Long.
Played soccer throughout underage & was always rated.
Donāt mind him.
In Australia they include kids playing tag in school for PE as part of their number of rugby players nationally 
Ure really pushing this global thing.
Can you explain why Africa, Asia and South America only have 3 countries represented in the World Cup while Oceania have 4? In the football equivalent South America, Africa and Asia get 15 teams while Oceania get 0.5 team which seems a bit more realistic when dealing with population/number of countries.
Japan has a semi professional league of 16 teams with a mix of amateurs and professionals. They also have a team in the Super Rugby competition. Japan also have professional sevens squads for men and women. They are hosting a Rugby World Cup and put up a host fee of over 150m euro.
France have two professional leagues. Two pro sevens squads. Have hosted a RWC.
The US has a professional league launching. Two pro sevens squads. They host a popular Sevens event in Vegas attended by over 80k. They are also bidding for a RWC.
Italy have a semi pro league as well as two teams in the Pro14. They are also bidding for a RWC.
Thereās only 350m Americans, give him a break.
Have you the numbers of pro players tho?
There is no way 2.5% of English people play rugby. Is that men only?
How the fuck do they come up with that?
Imaginationā¦will make a fool of youā¦
I donāt know, mate = these rugby chaps are forever skewing numbers ā I think if you handle a rugby ball they include you.
The population of Asia is 4.4bn. Under 6% of that population was represented in the last FIFA WC. Just 4 countries, one of whom isnāt even in Asia, but is there to bolster the quality of competition.
Go figure.
Europe had over 50% of FIFA WC places until 20 years ago. Thatās a tournament going for 60 years longer than the RWC. They still have over 40% of places, despite having just 10% of the worldāa population.
Rugby is not as big a sport clearly, small in comparison, but we still have a global sporting event. Attended by more than the last European Championships and an average attendance close to the FIFA WC.
Meanwhile, the GGA will be happy if they manage to sell out the stickball final for once.
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Sweep sweep.