NEXT year’s NRL season may be the meat in a Nines sandwich, if reports on the Australasian body’s website are to be believed.
The Rugby League International Federation is considering a Nines World Championship in an Australia city in October, which will be followed by the first full Great Britain tour of the southern hemisphere since 1992.
Now, NRL.com is reporting that that competition’s Nines concept will be back in 2019 during the pre-season, with a new stadium in western Sydney the possible host.
“NRL.com understands Brisbane is viewed as the front-runner to host the tournament next year, however it could hinge on the future of the struggling Global Rugby Tens tournament, which is the brainchild of Duco Events,” reporter Michael Chammas wrote.
“Duco is also the New Zealand-based organisation in partnership with the NRL for the Auckland Nines, however the appetite for its return across the ditch has diminished from both parties.
“The NRL is hopeful of a compromise that will likely mean the rugby league Nines is played in Brisbane and Auckland would host the Rugby Tens, which is currently played at Suncorp Stadium on the same weekend the NRL wants to lock in.”
The Western Sydney Stadium is not due to be finished until March 2019. Construction would have to be brought forward for it to opened with a Nines tournament.
