RUGBY in East Lancashire has receive a massive boost thanks to the Rugby Football Union's Go Play Rugby recruitment campaign which was launched to coincide with the recent Rugby World Cup.

The area enjoyed an increase in new or returning adult players with Chorley, Colne and Nelson and Burnley in particular all adding significantly to their playing numbers.

The RFU's £1million campaign, funded by the National Sports Foundation with the support of commercial sponsors Chelsea Building Society and O2 and involving more than 700 clubs and 130 universities and colleges nationwide, aimed to bring 6,000 players - the equivalent of 400 new teams - back to the game.

At a Go Play Rugby progress report meeting involving nine clubs from Greater Manchester, the picture painted following the campaign and other club recruitment policies was very rosy.

The nine clubs reported a combined total of 181 new or returning adult players, with a number of clubs being able to launch new teams as a result of the programme.

In North Lancashire, seven of the 12 clubs who have been involved have already reported the arrival of 161 new players and both areas are expecting to enhance those figures.

Tarleton, with a spectacular increase in membership of 39 new players, led the charge in North Lancashire but Colne and Nelson were the best local side with 27 new players with Chorley (15) and Burnley (13) also swelling their player quota.

The successful campaign suggests that the 2007 Rugby World Cup really has helped to put a spring in the step of rugby union in Lancashire.