Canberra junior participation numbers have jumped 24 per cent this year, proving grassroots rugby is strong despite fan discontent with the ongoing uncertainty at Super Rugby.

Girls competitions were introduced last year and there was a 40 per cent spike in female participation and the growth resulted in doubling the amount of games played.

Officials also tinkered with competition structures to reduce the amount of byes and team numbers in the boys' divisions have increased significantly. The increase in teams resulted in less players sitting on the sidelines as reserves.

The ACT schoolboys won their first national title since 1988 last year, sparking a new generation of players. And the lure Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games pathways have contributed to the boost.

"The girls are a contributing factor to the rise, but we think this year there are more teams because clubs and schools have stretched themselves to pull in more players to have two teams instead of one," said ACTJRU president Martin Sullivan.

"So we've got less children on the bench and more children playing. It's a credit to the schools and clubs for growing the game."

The under-18s grand final was streamed online last year, with more than 30,000 viewers tuning in. The ACTJRU will broadcast every grand final on Sunday this year.

Marist will play St Edmund's College on Sunday in a re-match for the premier title. marist won the grand final 32-5 last year, completing a perfect undefeated season for the first time in 24 years.

It was Marist's first under-18s premiership since 2006 and the side was unbeaten in 15 games. But St Edmund's boast Australian schoolboys fullback Brendan Jimenez and Zane Hogan as they fight to reclaim the title.

Royals and Wests will square off in the girls under-18s division. The ACTJRU introduced under-15s and under-17s girls competitions last year, but have expanded that number to include players aged 14-18 this year.

"I just love to see children participate in any sport, and at the moment junior rugby in Canberra is having a resurgence in numbers, so it's great," Sullivan said.

"It's a credit to all the volunteers, supporters, clubs and schools who are encouraging kids to play.

ACTJRU GRAND FINALS

Saturday: Under-9s division one: Gungahlin Yellow v Royals Blue at 8.30am, field one; under-9s division two: Yass White v Queanbeyan White at 8.30am, field one; under-11s division 3: St Edmund's v Marist Skyat 9am, field two; under-11s division one: St Edmund's Blue v Marist Royal at 9.20am, field one; under-11s division two: Vikings v Gungahlin at 9.50am, field two; under-18s girls: Royals v Wests at 10.10am, field one; under-12s division two: Easts v Royals at 10.40am, field two; under-16s girls division one: Radford v Cooma at 11.10am, field one; under-16s girls division two: Jindabyne v Daramalan at 11.40am, field two; under-14s girls: Vikings v Cooma at 12.10pm, field one; under 12s division three: Gungahlin v Jindabyne at 12.30pm, field two; under-15s division one: Marist Royal v Grammar at 1pm, field one; under-16s division two: St Edmund's White v Goulburn at 2.10pm, field one; under-16s division one: St Edmund's Blue v Wests at 3.10pm, field one.

Sunday: Under-10s division one: Marist Royal v St Edmund's Blue at 9am, field one; under-10s division two: Marist Sky v Royals at 9am, field two; under-14s division two: Royals v Uni-Yass at 9.50am, field one; under-10s division three: St Edmund's Gold v Marist Blue at 9.50am, field two; under-14s division three: Daramalan v St Edmund's White at 10.40am, field two; under-13s division two: Grammar v Marist Sky at 10.50am, field one; under-13s division three: Broulee v St Edmund's at 11.40am, field two; under-13s division one: St Edmund's Blue v Marist Royal at 11.50am, field one; under-18s division three: St Edmund's 3rd XV v Vikings at 12.40pm, field two; under-14s division one: Daramalan v St Edmund's Blue at 12.50pm, field one; under-18s division two: St Edmund's 2nd XV v Marist 2nd XV at 1.50pm, field one; under-15s division two: Broulee v Trinity at 2pm, field two; under-18s division one: Marist v St Edmund's at 3.30pm, field one.