Rugby Australia & Harvey Norman aim for 30% increase in national player registration by 2029
Harvey Norman, Australia’s leading home and lifestyle retailer, has joined forces with Rugby Australia and the Australian Rugby Foundation to support and grow grassroots rugby across the country.
Harvey Norman’s unrivalled advocacy of Australian sport and local communities will reach new heights with the national retail icon confirmed as the new naming rights partner of Rugby Australia’s Get into Rugby program.
Harvey Norman and Get into Rugby are inspiring the next generation of Rugby stars through Australian rugby’s golden decade by providing girls and boys with the skills, knowledge and confidence to assist their journey into junior rugby.
The program was successfully implemented nationwide in 2025 with the support of ambassadors Max Jorgensen and Faith Nathan and, together with Harvey Norman, Rugby Australia is aiming to double the number of Get into Rugby participants in clubs by 2029.
A key element of Harvey Norman’s sponsorship is the introduction of a monthly award that will recognise a club volunteer, coach and match official for their significant contribution to the game at the grassroots level.
Further to this, Harvey Norman is committed to facilitating connections between their local stores and community rugby clubs to ensure that this partnership is strengthened by also operating at a local, grassroots level.
In a major boost to regional rugby, Harvey Norman will partner with the Australian Rugby Foundation to deliver the Heart of Rugby Regional Tour which will consist of 40 clinics across Australia between June and September, making rugby more accessible to junior players across the country.
Delivered as part of the Foundation’s Grassroots pillar, Girls and boys aged 10-to-12 years will have the opportunity to take part in skill development clinics with the support of local Harvey Norman stores as well as the Classic Wallabies and Wallaroos. These clinics will play an integral role in Rugby Australia’s 2029 objective to grow registered players by 30%.
With the valued support of Harvey Norman, young Australian rugby players will be supported from their first touch of the ball through to key junior age groups ahead of major events in 2027 and 2029, marking two defining years for rugby in Australia.
Harvey Norman CEO Katie Page said:
“For Harvey Norman, we are always focussed on ensuring national codes are accessible to all Australians – boys and girls, regardless of location. With Rugby Australia’s Get into Rugby program we will support more children to join their local rugby club and through the Australian Rugby Foundation’s Heart of Rugby Regional Tour, we will develop the playing talent in our rural and regional towns by bringing the game to their local club.
“Core to this will be the recognition of the local club volunteers, coaches and match officials who develop their players at the grassroots. Their contribution is fundamental to creating a competitive pathway, a strong club community and motivating the Wallabies and the Wallaroos of tomorrow.”
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh said:
“Our thriving community is the beating heart of Australian Rugby and we’re incredibly excited to have Harvey Norman at the centre of it by partnering with our Get into Rugby program. “Harvey Norman is a great Australian business and their passion for community aligns with ours. We are thrilled to be elevating rugby at the grassroots level with the support of Harvey Norman and thank Katie Page and her outstanding team for their commitment to teaching and inspiring the next generation of rugby players. “This landmark partnership helps set a strong foundation for the future of Australian Rugby by strengthening our community rugby programs and supporting players as they transition through to junior rugby and beyond.”
Australian Rugby Foundation Director Tom Millner said:
“We are indebted to Harvey Norman for backing an initiative that aligns strongly with the Australian Rugby Foundation's focus on supporting grassroots rugby. The Foundation firmly believes that strong regional rugby communities are vital to the long-term future of the game in Australia.
“Rugby is a global sport, but its roots sit firmly in the soil of local clubs and rural communities. Delivering rugby clinics in regional centres helps ensure that young players, wherever they live, have the opportunity to experience the game and develop a lifelong connection to it.”
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