A SET move from a scrum, used to great effect throughout the tournament, was enough for wounded Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers to win the Rarotonga Nines final. The manœuvre involved an inside back kicking ahead after a scrum win with a speedy team-mate racing through to regather and dive over. It worked spectacularly just before halftime in the final against Avatui…
THE traditional opening of the year in Nines kicks off on Friday January 8 at BCI Stadium, Rarotonga, Cook Islands at 3.30pm local time. You can watch all the action right here on rugbyleaguenines.com in the video frame above. Explaining the decision to shorten the event from three days to two, organiser Francis Toa said: “This is due in part…
PHILIPPINES officials say the Tamaraws’ appearance at the London Nines this year will be a precursor to 13-a-side internationals in Europe. The PNRL announced this week they would be sending a team to the London Nines at Chiswick Rugby Club on July 17. It will be the first time the Tamaraws have been seen in Europe and the team is…
THE year-opening Rarotonga Nines has been reduced from three days to two. Under 18s are being added to the men’s and women’s events at BCU Stadium this year and the tournament was to kick off on Thursday. However, it has now being reported that the event will run for only two days, presumably Friday and Saturday. The competing men’s teams…
SHAUN Wane’s England could be involved a mid-season European Nines tournament the year after next, under a proposal released today. European Rugby League (ERL) is seeking tenders for the hosting of the tournament, which it has pencilled it for mid-summer 2023. In the bid prospectus, England is one of the countries listed as being a competing nation. There is no…
IN a major step forward for the abbreviated version of rugby league, the new French season will kick off with two entire weekends of Nines matches played at six venues. This weekend, Villeneuve, Carcassonne and Avignon will host matches while next weekend it will be the turn of St Gaudens, St Esteve and Limoux. The elite one season will commence…
Rugby Football League chairman Simon Johnson has given his opinion of Nines and the role they may play for the sport in Britain. Speaking on the BBC Rugby League podcast, Johnson said that the abbreviated version of rugby league was a significantly factor as his organisation looks to overhaul the sport in the months and years ahead “We’re different to…
ON the same day Catalans secured Super League’s minor premiership, Tokyo French Crusaders were crowned the first champions of a new Japanese Nines tournament. The Riverside Nines comprised five rugby union clubs as well as hosts Abiko Ducks and was the result of years of hard work by New Zealander David Canham. And a few hours before James Maloney’s extra-time…
The Sepik Nines for 2021 have been confirmed for November 4-6 at Pora Oval in Wewak. Organisers have extended an invitation to every team in Papua New Guinea for the second staging of the event. Twenty men’s teams took part last year, with QPR Colts of Port Moresby taking the title. Meanwhile, a successful tournament in New Ireland was recently…
COLOMBIA will host the country’s first national Nines championship in November. The announcement comes as Sili Eels celebrate taking out the Palauli/Satupaitea Regional Nines in Samoa and Nane Brothers settle into their title as 2021 Port Moresby Suburban Nines champs. The Colombian Nines will run on November 13 and 14 and feature teams from around Bogota as well as the…
