The future of Rugby Union is under threat in Western Australia because of lack of interest from young players, according to RugbyWA school competitions lead Nephi Baker. 

Mr Baker has warned rugby could be extinct in WA within the next 5 to 10 years unless more young people become involved. 

Mr Baker said that when WA rugby team the Western Force was axed from Super Rugby in 2017 there was a big dip in the market. Because of this rugby struggles for popularity at the school level, as it gets overshadowed by sports like AFL.

He said there was a big push from RugbyWA for schools to get involved and make rugby more competitive.

Statistics provided by RugbyWA and West Australian Football Commission schools specialist Regan Atkinson show that in 2023 there were 21 school boys rugby teams compared to 199 boys AFL teams. 

A spokesperson from RugbyWA said the development of grassroots rugby is fundamental to their mission and that without grassroots rugby, and without the rugby community, there would be no rugby at all in WA. 

Without grassroots rugby, and without the rugby community, there would be no rugby at all.

RugbyWA spokesperson

RugbyWA development officer Sam White agreed juniors have lost interest in the sport, and attributed it to a lack of career opportunities following the 2017 decision. He said grassroots rugby in WA has still not recovered.

Mr White said it was hard to get schools involved in rugby because it is a rough sport. Parents and schools were afraid that if kids were tackled they would suffer serious injuries, such as concussions. 

According to the Concussion and Brain Health Position Statement 2024, young people are more vulnerable to concussions than older people, but there is a lack of research on the long term effects.  

The Australian Institute of Sport has ongoing research comparing the brain health of athletes who have not participated in contact sports with those who played rugby. The results of this study will be available later this year. 

Western Force Fortescue Academy player Justin Landman said that rugby was struggling to keep players in WA because of a lack of funds. 

He said Rugby clubs in NSW and Queensland have more money to invest in players and because of this their club competition is much more competitive and players from Perth are missing out. 

Landman also said young players are more likely to pursue other sports, like AFL, instead of rugby because of serious differences in salaries. 

AFL players earn on average above $100,000  in their first season.  Meanwhile Rugbydome writer John Winter claimed Western Force players could expect to earn as little as $40,000 for their debut season. 

Comparison with recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, showed that young rugby players were earning well below the average full time salary in WA. 

The Western Force is trying to keep players in Perth by offering full scholarships for young players to their sponsor, the University of Western Australia.

Landman said this deal allowed players to have career options after rugby and acted as an incentive for young players to stay in Perth.