Rugby union has become more popular than rugby league in Australia for the first time, according to a survey released yesterday.
The survey, which was conducted by Sweeney Research, found rugby union enjoyed the largest jump in popularity of any sport in Australia over the past four years, with its interest rate surging by 13 percentage points to 44 percent, beating league on 41 percent.
However interest in soccer was greater than in both rugby codes at 45 percent, a rise of six points.
And Australian rules remains the country's most popular football code, recording a 55 percent interest rate, up six points on four years ago.
The survey rates sports' popularity by the number of people who play, attend matches or follow a sport through the media.
"Union's inroads into the national sports conscience has come through Super12 and Test matches being played in the non-traditional rugby cities and not just Sydney and Brisbane," said Sweeney director Martin Hirons.
"Greater proportions of people are therefore taking an interest in union because of local exposure," he said.
Australian Rugby Union managing director Gary Flowers said the code had capitalized on the interest generated by hosting the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He predicted its popularity would increase next year when the Perth-based Western Force joins an expanded Super 14 competition.
"An expanded Tri Nations series and Super 14 kicks off next year, England and Ireland are touring, we are pushing for an Asia-Pacific tournament involving our Super 14 provinces next year and of course the Rugby World Cup in France follows in 2007," he said.
Australia has traditionally been a divided sporting nation, with Australian rules dominating the southern cities of Melbourne and Adelaide, while rugby league reigned supreme further north in Sydney and Brisbane.
But in recent years soccer and rugby union, both once considered of only marginal interest, have launched concerted bids for supporters, with union next year launching a team in Australian rules-dominated Perth.
The National Rugby League dismissed the findings, pointing out in a statement that the 13-a-side code attracted substantially more viewers that the 15-man game on both free-to-air and subscription television.
It also said league crowds had risen 34 percent since 1998 to reach record averages in 2003 and last year.
Swimming was the sport with the highest overall interest rating on 59 percent, followed by tennis, cricket and Australian rules (all on 55 percent), soccer (45), rugby union (44), league (41), cycling and hiking (both 37), golf and running (both 36) and gym workouts (35).
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