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NRL Nines
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| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 2014 |
| Inaugural season | 2014 |
| Number of teams | 16 Male 4 Female |
| Country | Australia |
| Current Champions | |
| Most titles | (2 titles) (2 titles) |
| Broadcast partner | Fox Sports (AU) Sky Sports (NZ) |
| Related competition | Rugby League World Cup 9s |
The NRL Nines is a rugby league nines competition, normally held during the NRL preseason each year. It was initially held in Auckland, New Zealand, between 2014 and 2017 before going on hiatus.
Returning in 2020, hosting duties moved to Perth, Western Australia, before being cancelled in 2021. The series has not returned since.
Competition format
[edit]Auckland (2014–2017)
[edit]Two national women's teams compete in one section of the tournament and sixteen NRL club men's teams compete in the other. Each of the men's squad must include at least 12 of their top 25 players in their squad, and at least one marquee player. The winner of the men's tournament received AUD$500,000 with a total prize pool of AUD$2,250,000. In the first four editions, the competition has had eight different finalists and four different winners, though the 2016 title was later stripped from the Parramatta Eels for breaching the salary cap.
Since 2015 the Kiwiferns and the Jillaroos also competed in a three-game series, with the Kiwiferns winning the series 2-1. These games are played during the final stages of the men's tournament and allow the male players more of a break between their games while providing a broader tournament. Also in 2015, the pools were given traditional Maori names that were chosen by a public vote and were: Rangitoto, Waiheke, Piha and Hunua Ranges.[1]
Perth (2020)
[edit]The women's teams were NRL Women's Premiership sides instead of national teams.
Series Cancellations (2021–2024)
[edit]The 2021 series was cancelled entirely, not due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, but due to an overly-crowded preseason schedule.[2][3]
When the 2022 Fixtures list was released by the NRL, it included no mention of the World Club Challenge or NRL Nines competitions.[4]
The World Club Challenge did make its return in 2023, and again in 2024, but the NRL Nines competition was absent for both years.[5]
Rules
[edit]There are a number of rule variations that are implemented to ensure the games are faster and to ensure fewer delays and stoppages.[6]
The major rule changes that differ from regular NRL games are:
- Two nine-minute halves with a two-minute half time period.
- Nine players a side with five unlimited interchange players (six interchanges in 2014).
- Scrums are only formed after a double knock on, with attacking teams electing which side to feed the ball.
- No video referee, with one on-field referee, two touch judges and two in-goal judges.
- Five minute golden try period in qualifying rounds with the match deemed a draw if there is no score, while unlimited golden try for the finals.
- A tap restart takes place after a 40/20.
- Five points for a try scored in the bonus zone under the posts, with two point drop kick conversion attempts.
- The scoring team will have a drop-kick kick-off at the half way mark to restart play.
- Three minute sin bins (Five in 2014).
- Five tackles in a set.
Finals
[edit]Note – The Parramatta Eels were stripped of their 2016 Auckland Nines title due to a breach of the NRL salary cap. The 2016 title was withheld by the NRL rather than awarding it to the runners up.[7]
Men's
[edit]| Year | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Referee | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRL Auckland Nines | ||||||
| 2014 | 16 – 7 | B. Cummins | Eden Park | 16 February 2014 | ||
| 2015 | 18 – 14 | M. Cecchin | Eden Park | 1 February 2015 | ||
| 2016 | 22 – 4 | G. Sutton | Eden Park | 7 February 2016 | ||
| 2017 | 10 – 8 | G. Atkins | Eden Park | 5 February 2017 | ||
| NRL Nines | ||||||
| 2020 | 23 – 14 | G. Atkins | Perth Oval | 15 February 2020 | ||
| 2021 | Competition not held due to packed pre-season schedule.[8][9] | |||||
| 2022 | Competition Not Held | |||||
| 2023 | Competition Not Held | |||||
| 2024 | Competition Not Held | |||||
Team performance
[edit]| Team | Premiers | Runners-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 2014, 2020 | – | |
| 1 | 0 | 2015 | – | |
| 1 | 0 | 2017 | – | |
| 0 | 1 | – | 2014 | |
| 0 | 1 | – | 2015 | |
| 0 | 1 | – | 2016 | |
| 0 | 1 | – | 2017 | |
| 0 | 1 | – | 2020 | |
| 0 | 0 | – |
Women's
[edit]| Year | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Referee | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRL Nines | ||||||
| 2020 | 28 – 4 | A. Gee | Perth Oval | 15 February 2020 | ||
| 2021 | Competition not held due to packed pre-season schedule.[10][11] | |||||
| 2022 | Competition Not Held | |||||
| 2023 | Competition Not Held | |||||
| 2024 | Competition Not Held | |||||
Team performance
[edit]| Team | Winners | Runners-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 2020 | – | |
| 0 | 1 | – | 2020 |
Women's Series
[edit]From 2015 to 2017, the New Zealand Kiwi Ferns and the Australia Jillaroos played a three match series, as the NRL Women's Premiership had not yet been formed. The NRL Women's competition was formed in 2018, and in 2020 the structure of the Women's competition changed to a club competition similar to the Men's.
| Women's series results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | Wins | Losses | Drawn | Venue |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Eden Park | |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Eden Park | |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Eden Park | |
Sponsorship
[edit]Since 2001, the National Rugby League premiership has been sponsored by Downer Group and known as the 'NRL Telstra Premiership'. Subsequently, the competition was simply known as the 'Dick Smith NRL Nines', being sponsored by the Australasian electronics retail chain until 2016.[12]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines draw revealed". nrl.com. National Rugby League. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "NRL 2021: Pre-season trials schedule and results". Sporting News. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "NRL Perth Nines 2021 draw". The Roar. 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "NRL 2022, draw announced - NRL". 9 November 2021. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ^ "2023 NRL Draw, Full list of fixtures, details, schedule, times, venues confirmed for the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership season". 9 November 2022. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ Chammas, Michael (2 December 2013). "NRL to trial experimental rules for Auckland Nines". nrl.com. NRL. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Parramatta Eels stripped of Auckland Nines title but Warriors don't benefit". Stuff. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ^ "NRL 2021: Pre-season trials schedule and results". Sporting News. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "NRL Perth Nines 2021 draw". The Roar. 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "NRL 2021: Pre-season trials schedule and results". Sporting News. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "NRL Perth Nines 2021 draw". The Roar. 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ NZ Herald staff writer (5 January 2016). "Dick Smith problems 'won't impact' Nines". The New Zealand Herald.
External links
[edit]NRL Nines
View on GrokipediaHistory
Establishment and Auckland Tournaments (2014–2017)
The NRL Auckland Nines tournament was announced on 4 September 2013 by NRL CEO Dave Smith in partnership with Auckland Council, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), and event promoter Duco Events, positioning it as a pre-season competition designed to showcase rugby league skills, expand the sport's international presence, and attract new fans in New Zealand.[1] The inaugural edition occurred over 15–16 February 2014 at Eden Park in Auckland, where all 16 NRL clubs competed in a nine-a-side format divided into four pools for a double round-robin group stage, followed by knockout semifinals and a final; the North Queensland Cowboys emerged as champions after defeating the Brisbane Broncos 16–7 in the decider.[1] Auckland was selected as the host city due to its close proximity to the New Zealand rugby league market and Eden Park's ability to accommodate large crowds for high-profile events.[1] The 2014 tournament featured a total prize pool of AUD $2.25 million, with the winning Cowboys receiving AUD $370,000 and all participating clubs guaranteed at least AUD $90,000.[8] The event returned annually from 2015 to 2017, maintaining the same core structure of pool play and knockout finals at Eden Park while demonstrating steady growth in popularity. In 2015, the South Sydney Rabbitohs claimed the title with an 18–14 golden-try extra-time victory over the Cronulla Sharks; the 2016 edition saw the Parramatta Eels defeat the New Zealand Warriors 12–10 in the final; and in 2017, the Sydney Roosters held off the Penrith Panthers 10–8 to secure the championship.[9][10][11] Attendance figures reflected increasing interest, with the 2017 tournament attracting approximately 22,000 spectators per day across the two-day event.[12] By 2017, the total prize pool had risen to NZ $2.6 million, underscoring the event's growing economic significance.[13] A key development during this period was the introduction of the invitational Women's Nines Series in 2015, which featured a three-match international showdown between the New Zealand Kiwi Ferns and Australia's Jillaroos as curtain-raisers to the men's games; the Kiwi Ferns won the series 2–1, with victories of 8–4 and 16–4 before a narrow 8–7 loss in the finale.[14] The women's series continued in subsequent years, including 2017 when the Jillaroos squad, coached by Brad Donald, again faced the Kiwi Ferns in Auckland, further promoting the growth of women's rugby league alongside the men's competition.[15]Perth Edition and Hiatus (2020–present)
In October 2019, the National Rugby League announced that the 2020 NRL Nines would be hosted in Perth, Western Australia, marking the first time the tournament would be held in Australia. The decision aimed to expand rugby league's presence in the state following the success of the 2019 State of Origin match at Optus Stadium, which drew a record crowd for the fixture.[16] The 2020 edition took place on 14–15 February at HBF Park, featuring all 16 NRL clubs in the men's competition and, for the first time, four NRLW teams in a dedicated women's draw played in a round-robin format. The event unfolded amid rising concerns over the emerging COVID-19 pandemic but proceeded without restrictions, serving as one of the final major international sporting gatherings before global lockdowns began in late February and March. In the men's final, the North Queensland Cowboys defeated the St. George Illawarra Dragons 23–14 to claim the title, while the Dragons won the women's competition with a 28–4 victory over the Brisbane Broncos.[17] Attendance totaled 24,867 across the two days—10,128 on the opening day affected by high temperatures and 14,739 for the finals day—figures lower than the peaks of over 30,000 per day seen in previous Auckland editions.[16][18][19][20] The tournament was cancelled for 2021 as part of a broader reduction in the pre-season schedule, necessitated by the compressed calendar following the COVID-19 disruptions to the 2020 NRL Premiership, which ended in November. It has not been held since.[5] As of November 2025, the NRL Nines remains on hiatus with no confirmed return date.[21]Competition Format
Structure and Scheduling
The NRL Nines tournament is positioned in mid-February as the preseason opener for the National Rugby League season, designed to generate early momentum and fan engagement ahead of the main Telstra Premiership campaign.[18] In the men's competition, all 16 NRL clubs are divided into four pools of four teams, where each pool follows a round-robin format with every team playing three matches. The top two teams from each pool advance to the quarter-finals, which lead into the semi-finals and grand final, resulting in a total of 31 men's matches comprising 24 pool games and seven finals fixtures.[5][22] The women's draw, starting in 2020, involves the four NRL Women's Premiership teams competing in a round-robin format to determine qualifiers for the final, adding several fixtures to the overall schedule; prior iterations from 2015 to 2017 featured a best-of-three international series between Australia and New Zealand women's teams instead.[23] The event unfolds over two consecutive days, typically with pool-stage matches concentrated on the first day (often a Saturday) and finals series on the second (often a Sunday), providing teams with no rest days between contests to maintain a fast-paced rhythm.[24] The total prize pool stands at AUD $2.25 million, including $500,000 for the men's winners and $75,000 for the women's winners based on 2020 allocations, though earlier editions emphasized similar distributions to incentivize elite participation.[25][26][27] Pool standings are resolved using tiebreakers starting with points differential (points for minus points against), followed by total points scored if needed.[28]Venues and Attendance
The NRL Nines tournament was primarily hosted at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, from its inception in 2014 through 2017. This iconic stadium, with a capacity of approximately 50,000, provided a spacious and electric setting for the event, enhanced by its central location and history of hosting major rugby league fixtures.[29] The venue's vibrant atmosphere was amplified by pre-match entertainment, including live music performances and fan activation zones that created a festival-like experience, drawing strong local and interstate support.[30][31] Attendance at Eden Park varied across the early editions but consistently reflected the tournament's appeal in New Zealand, where rugby league enjoys significant international interest. The inaugural 2014 event drew crowds of 43,600 on day one and 45,403 on day two, totaling nearly 89,000 over the weekend and marking a record for rugby league in the country.[32] Subsequent years saw figures around 70,000 total in 2016, though they declined to approximately 44,000 in 2017 amid broader pre-season trends.[33][34] Factors contributing to these numbers included affordable ticket pricing, ranging from NZ$69 for general admission to NZ$229 for premium zones (equivalent to roughly AUD$60–$200), family-friendly packages, and the event's role in boosting Auckland's economy by over NZ$9 million through visitor spending.[35][36] In 2020, the tournament shifted to HBF Park (formerly NIB Stadium) in Perth, Australia, to expand into the Western Australian market. This compact venue, with a capacity of 20,500, hosted the event in a more intimate setting suited to the faster-paced nines format. Crowds totaled 24,867 over the two days, with 10,128 on day one and 14,739 on day two, influenced by the smaller stadium size, mid-February timing, and ticket prices starting at AUD$25 for Friday and AUD$40 for Saturday.[37][18] The Perth edition marked a return to domestic hosting following the international Auckland runs, supported by logistical arrangements such as team travel funding through the event's overall investment structure. The NRL Nines has not been held since 2020, with the planned 2021 edition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no further events scheduled as of 2025, reflecting strategic pauses in pre-season scheduling to prioritize the main campaign.[38]Rules
Player and Field Specifications
NRL Nines teams consist of nine players on the field at any time, typically structured with four forwards and five backs to facilitate fast-paced play. Each team nominates a squad of up to 14 players (nine on-field plus five interchanges), with unlimited substitutions to maintain intensity without the limited interchange restrictions of standard NRL matches. Early tournaments in 2014 allowed 15 players with six interchanges.[39] The playing field follows standard rugby league dimensions of 100 metres in length from goal line to goal line and 68 metres in width, with in-goal areas measuring 6 to 11 metres deep. A distinctive bonus zone—a marked rectangular area within the in-goal between the goal posts—extends scoring opportunities, where tries are worth five points to encourage attacking play near the line.[6] Equipment adheres to rugby league standards, utilizing a size 5 ball weighing 410–460 grams with a girth circumference of 58–62 cm and length of 28–30 cm for optimal handling in shorter matches. Protective gear, including optional headguards, is encouraged but not compulsory, aligning with NRL safety guidelines to minimize injury risk in high-speed contests.[40] Player eligibility encompasses all individuals contracted to NRL clubs, including top-30 squad members and those from development pathways like the Under-20s, providing pre-season exposure for fringe and emerging talent without implications for salary cap calculations.[3] Officiating involves one primary on-field referee per match, supported by two touch judges, with no video referee to expedite decision-making and sustain game flow. A sin bin suspension lasts five minutes for serious infractions, reduced from the standard 10 minutes to match the shorter format.[6] Matches last 18 minutes in total, divided into two nine-minute halves separated by a two-minute break, emphasizing continuous play with minimal stoppages for injuries or other disruptions to prioritize speed and excitement.[39]Gameplay and Scoring Rules
NRL Nines employs a streamlined set of rules to accelerate the pace of play and heighten excitement, diverging from standard rugby league to favor open, continuous action. Matches are structured as two nine-minute halves separated by a two-minute interval, with nine players per team on the field and unlimited interchanges from a squad of up to 14. Scrums are largely abolished, occurring only for double knock-ons or mutual infringements with a maximum of five players per side; all other restarts use a tap to maintain momentum and diminish forward pack dominance, promoting expansive backline play.[6][39] The tackle limit is reduced to five per set—four successive play-the-balls followed by a handover after the fifth—contrasting the standard NRL's six-tackle rule and compelling faster rucks to prevent possession loss. Kick-offs restart play via drop-kick from the halfway line by the scoring team after a try, requiring the ball to travel at least 10 meters, while each half begins with a place kick. A successful 40/20 kick grants a tap restart 20 meters infield for the kicking team, further incentivizing territorial gains. Forward passes are immediately penalized with a handover, upholding core rugby league principles while ensuring swift resolution.[39][41][6] Scoring emphasizes tries as the primary method, valued at four points for standard efforts but five points when grounded in the bonus zone—a designated in-goal area between the goalposts—to reward bold attacks near the line. Conversions, taken as drop-kicks in line with the try's location, are worth two points, as are penalty drop-kicks from the infringement spot; field goals during general play score one point. No traditional goal-kicks occur, streamlining post-try routines. Extra time, if needed, operates under a golden try format where the first try secures victory, excluding field goals or penalties.[6][39][42] Officiating prioritizes speed with a single on-field referee, two touch judges, and two in-goal judges, but no video referee reviews; all decisions rely on real-time judgments to avoid delays. Sin-bins for foul play last five minutes, and high tackles face strict enforcement aligned with NRL safety protocols. Following the inaugural 2014 tournament, rules evolved slightly for enhanced flow and safety, including a 2015 introduction of the "zero tackle" provision—granting an uncounted first play-the-ball when regaining possession from an opponent's knock-on, forward pass, or accidental offside—to amplify turnover rewards without added risk.[41][43]Results
Men's Competition
The men's competition in the NRL Nines features 16 teams from the National Rugby League clubs, competing in a fast-paced tournament format over two days with pool stages followed by knockout finals. Held five times between 2014 and 2020, the event emphasizes speed and skill, culminating in a grand final that determines the champion. The North Queensland Cowboys are the most successful team, securing two titles, while the other winners each claimed one. Note: The Parramatta Eels' 2016 title was stripped due to an NRL salary cap breach, with no official winner awarded.[44]| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | North Queensland Cowboys | 16–7 | Brisbane Broncos |
| 2015 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 18–14 (a.e.t.) | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| 2016 | No official champion (Parramatta Eels disqualified) | 22–4 | New Zealand Warriors |
| 2017 | Sydney Roosters | 10–8 | Penrith Panthers |
| 2020 | North Queensland Cowboys | 23–14 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |

