SEVENTEEN teams have entered the Midlands Nines, to be staged at Broadstreet Rugby Club in Coventry on April 27. The brainchild of the people behind the Rugby League Outsiders media platform, the Midlands Nines will feature men’s, women’s and social men’s divisions, a music festival and overnight camping at the venue. The organisers report a strong response to their offer…
PACIFIC Coast Rugby League has announced the Santa Rosa Nines for Saturday, May 25. Following the success of the NRL-run Vegas Nines in March, the concept has spread back to California where the tournament will be held on the doorstep of the national men’s 13-a-side champion Dead Pelicans club. While no venue has been announced, the likely location is For…
WHEN Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka took the first Fiji team to the World Sevens in 1992, there was no rugby league at all in the island nation. When Skipper Nuilevu arrived in Sacramento 26 years later as a first generation domestic Fijian rugby league player, there was none there either. So like the General, he started it. “The club started back in…
SUCH is the scope of rugby league’s gathering of the tribes in Las Vegas this week that when Matty Barron coached Ontario Ospreys to victory in the women’s division of the NRL Nines, the man who introduced him to rugby league in north-east England 25 years ago just happened to be in the crowd. The Ospreys downed fellow Canadians BC…
CAPTAIN-coach or player-coach is a dying – but still present – role in rugby league. But player-CEO? Former Queensland State of Origin star and England international Chris McQueen made his return to playing yesterday at the Las Vegas Nines, representing Brooklyn Kings. He almost played for the Kings when the ill-fated NARL was floated a couple of years ago. Now…
DUTCH club the Pitbulls have confirmed the date of this year’s Rotterdam Nines. One of Europe’s longest-running Nines tournaments, the event will be held on April 24. The Rotterdam Nines, drawing teams from across the continent, has been running since 2003. European Rugby League has announced that applications to compete have opened with interested clubs invited to contact the host…
AVATIU Eels have successfully defended their Rarotonga title with the slenderest of victories over Tupapa Panthers in a gripping final of the year’s first Nines tournament. Clive Nicholas’ men edged out the Panthers 14-13 at the end of two days play at the National Stadium, where New Zealand visitors Raukawa Kukis lifted the women’s title with a 21-4 win over…
THE Las Vegas Nines, to be run by the NRL next month, may become a global event in future years, feeding spectator numbers at the annual premiership double-header there. The Australasian league has signed a five year deal with local authorities to take two matches annually to the so-called entertainment capital of the world. The Nines tournament is later add-on…
NEW Zealand team Raukawa Kukis stunned the local sides on day one of the Rarotonga tour stop in the women’s division. The team, made up of New Zealand-based Cook Islanders, swept all before them on an unbeaten run which included defending champions Taupapa. The cup holders in the men’s division, Avatui Eels, were also undefeated. They downed Ngatangiia Matavera Sea…
THE traditional beginning of the global Nines season in Cook Islands is hotting up again this weekend with the Rarotonga tour stop. The men’s and women’s teams of the Pacific nation will gather at Avarua Tereora Stadium for the first Nines event of 2024. The men’s defending champions are Avatui while Tupapa are the women’s champions. Cook Islands Rugby League…
