NRL Nines
{{Short description|Rugby league nines competition}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox rugby league football competition
| current_season =
| name = NRL Nines
| logo = NRL Auckland Nines logo.png
| pixels = 150px
| alt =
| founded = 2014
| inaugural = 2014
| folded =
| replaced =
| teams = 16 Male
4 Female
| country = Australia
| championtag = Current Champions
| champion = {{leagueicon|Nth Qld
|16}} North Queensland Cowboys
{{league icon|St George Illawarra|16}} St. George Illawarra Dragons (NRLW)
| season = 2020
| most_champs = {{league icon|Kiwis|16}} New Zealand Kiwi Ferns
(2 titles)
{{league icon|Nth Qld|16}} North Queensland Cowboys
(2 titles)
| count =
| TV = Fox Sports (AU)
Sky Sports (NZ)
|related_comps=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
= Auckland (2014–2017) =
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.{{cite web|title=Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines draw revealed|url=http://www.nrl.com/dick-smith-nrl-auckland-nines-draw-revealed/tabid/10874/newsid/81912/default.aspx|website=nrl.com|date=16 September 2014 |publisher=National Rugby League|access-date=19 September 2014}}
= Perth (2020) =
The women's teams were NRL Women's Premiership sides instead of national teams.
= Series Cancellations (2021–2024) =
The 2021 series was cancelled entirely, not due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, but due to an overly-crowded preseason schedule.{{cite web|date=26 February 2021|title=NRL 2021: Pre-season trials schedule and results|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/nrl-2021-news-trial-fixtures-nrl-all-stars-pre-season-rugby-league/1txa9x7zw69801jmjciamukxbm|publisher=Sporting News|access-date=26 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224094504/https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/nrl-2021-news-trial-fixtures-nrl-all-stars-pre-season-rugby-league/1txa9x7zw69801jmjciamukxbm|archive-date=24 February 2021}}{{cite web|date=2020|title=NRL Perth Nines 2021 draw|url=https://www.theroar.com.au/rugby-league/nrl/nrl-nines/nrl-nines-draw/|publisher=The Roar|access-date=26 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204102700/https://www.theroar.com.au/rugby-league/nrl/nrl-nines/nrl-nines-draw/|archive-date=4 December 2020}}
When the 2022 Fixtures list was released by the NRL, it included no mention of the World Club Challenge or NRL Nines competitions.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/11/09/homecoming-matches-regional-games-expanded-nrlw-headline-2022-draw/ |title=NRL 2022, draw announced - NRL |date=9 November 2021 |access-date=2022-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109003249/https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/11/09/homecoming-matches-regional-games-expanded-nrlw-headline-2022-draw/ |archive-date=2021-11-09 |url-status=live }}
The World Club Challenge did make its return in 2023, and again in 2024, but the NRL Nines competition was absent for both years.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/11/10/2023-nrl-draw-released/ |title=2023 NRL Draw, Full list of fixtures, details, schedule, times, venues confirmed for the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership season |date=9 November 2022 |access-date=2023-03-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110000411/https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/11/10/2023-nrl-draw-released/ |archive-date=2022-11-10 |url-status=live }}
Rules
There are a number of rule variations that are implemented to ensure the games are faster and to ensure fewer delays and stoppages.{{cite web|last1=Chammas|first1=Michael|title=NRL to trial experimental rules for Auckland Nines|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-to-trial-experimental-rules-for-auckland-nines-20131203-2ymuu.html#poll|website=nrl.com|date=2 December 2013 |publisher=NRL|access-date=9 April 2018}}
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
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.{{cite web|title=Parramatta Eels stripped of Auckland Nines title but Warriors don't benefit|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/79563963/Parramatta-Eels-stripped-of-Auckland-Nines-title-after-salary-cap-breaches|website=Stuff |publisher=Fairfax Media|access-date=3 May 2015}}
= Men's =
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! width="3%" |Year ! width="15%" |Winners ! width="5%" |Score ! width="15%" |Runners-up ! width="10%" |Referee ! width="15%" |Venue ! width="10%" |Date |
| colspan="7" |NRL Auckland Nines |
|---|
| 2014
|{{leagueicon|North Queensland|size=16}} North Queensland Cowboys |16 – 7 |{{Leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} Brisbane Broncos |B. Cummins |16 February 2014 |
| 2015
|{{Leagueicon|South Sydney|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs |18 – 14 |{{Leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |M. Cecchin |1 February 2015 |
| 2016
|{{Leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} Parramatta Eels |22 – 4 |{{Leagueicon|New Zealand Warriors|16}} New Zealand Warriors |G. Sutton |7 February 2016 |
| 2017
|{{Leagueicon|Sydney|16}} Sydney Roosters |10 – 8 |{{Leagueicon|Penrith|16}} Penrith Panthers |G. Atkins |5 February 2017 |
| colspan="7" |NRL Nines |
| 2020
|{{leagueicon|North Queensland|size=16}} North Queensland Cowboys |23 – 14 |{{Leagueicon|St George Illawarra|16}} St George Illawarra Dragons |G. Atkins |15 February 2020 |
| 2021
! colspan="6"|Competition not held due to packed pre-season schedule.{{cite web|date=26 February 2021|title=NRL 2021: Pre-season trials schedule and results|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/nrl-2021-news-trial-fixtures-nrl-all-stars-pre-season-rugby-league/1txa9x7zw69801jmjciamukxbm|publisher=Sporting News|access-date=26 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224094504/https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/nrl-2021-news-trial-fixtures-nrl-all-stars-pre-season-rugby-league/1txa9x7zw69801jmjciamukxbm|archive-date=24 February 2021}}{{cite web|date=2020|title=NRL Perth Nines 2021 draw|url=https://www.theroar.com.au/rugby-league/nrl/nrl-nines/nrl-nines-draw/|publisher=The Roar|access-date=26 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204102700/https://www.theroar.com.au/rugby-league/nrl/nrl-nines/nrl-nines-draw/|archive-date=4 December 2020}} |
| 2022
! colspan="6"|Competition Not Held |
| 2023
! colspan="6"|Competition Not Held |
| 2024
! colspan="6"|Competition Not Held |
== Team performance ==
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Team !Premiers !Runners-up !Years won !Years runner-up |
| {{leagueicon|North Queensland|size=16}} North Queensland Cowboys
|2 |0 |2014, 2020 |– |
| {{Leagueicon|South Sydney|16}} South Sydney Rabbitohs
|1 |0 |2015 |– |
| {{Leagueicon|Sydney|16}} Sydney Roosters
|1 |0 |2017 |– |
| {{Leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} Brisbane Broncos
|0 |1 |– |2014 |
| {{Leagueicon|Cronulla|16}} Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
|0 |1 |– |2015 |
| {{Leagueicon|New Zealand Warriors|16}} New Zealand Warriors
|0 |1 |– |2016 |
| {{Leagueicon|Penrith|16}} Penrith Panthers
|0 |1 |– |2017 |
| {{Leagueicon|St George Illawarra|16}} St George Illawarra Dragons
|0 |1 |– |2020 |
| {{Leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} Parramatta Eels
|0 |0 | |– |
= Women's =
== Team performance ==
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Team !Winners !Runners-up !Years won !Years runner-up |
| {{Leagueicon|St George Illawarra|16}} St George Illawarra Dragons
|1 |0 |2020 |– |
| {{Leagueicon|Brisbane|16}} Brisbane Broncos
|0 |1 |– |2020 |
Women's Series
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.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! colspan=6 | Women's series results | |||||
| style="width:100px;"|Year
! style="width:350px;"|Winner ! style="width:100px;"|Wins ! style="width:100px;"|Losses ! style="width:100px;"|Drawn ! style="width:100px;"|Venue | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | {{league icon|Kiwis}} New Zealand Kiwi Ferns | 2 | 1 | 0 | |Eden Park |
| 2016 | {{league icon|Kiwis}} New Zealand Kiwi Ferns | 2 | 1 | 0 | |Eden Park |
| 2017 | {{league icon|Australia}} Australia Jillaroos | 3 | 0 | 0 | |Eden Park |
Sponsorship
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.{{cite news |last1=NZ Herald staff writer |title=Dick Smith problems 'won't impact' Nines |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/dick-smith-problems-wont-impact-nrl-nines-tournament/G3AYLRBJGWGGF7A2JITZZHZA6M/ |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=5 January 2016 |language=en}}
See also
{{Portal|Sports}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.nrlaucklandnines.com}}
{{NRL}}
Category:National Rugby League
Category:Rugby league in Auckland
Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2014
Category:Recurring sporting events disestablished in 2017