The Sweeney Sports Report shows rugby has surpassed rugby league in general interest for the first time in the report's 18-year history and rugby has significantly closed the gap on Australian Rules (AFL) over the past four years.
In that time, rugby has pushed three percentage points past rugby league and narrowed the gap with AFL from 20 points to 11 points.
The report measured interest in sports with a survey across a range of data: personal participation and match attendance, plus regularity of television viewing, radio listening and newspaper reading.
According to RUGBYeNEWS.com, in terms of general interest, the sports were rated AFL 55 per cent, soccer 45 per cent, rugby union 44 per cent, rugby league 41 per cent.
Four years ago the figures were AFL 49 per cent, rugby league 35 per cent, soccer 35 per cent and rugby union 29 per cent.
