Mercenarios have lifted the NovoSports Trophy as Nicaragua’s first national Nines champions.
A tense double-header at San Carlos Sports Grounds in Chinandega on Sunday concluded with the local team overcoming Monseraptors 18-6 in the final, after the Raptors’ 18-4 win over Diablos in the second semi-immediately beforehand.
Mercenarios had claimed their final spot during a previous instalment of the Nines series, which has been running for almost two months.
The competition – played over four dates – marked the first time Nines has ever been played in the Central American nation.
The NovoSports Trophy was donated jointly by supporters of the the Rugby League Nines Patreon group and trans-hemisphere events company NovoSports.
Another Nicaragua Nines tournament has been pencilled in for Managua later in the year.
Meanwhile a Summer Of Sizzling Nines is set to begin this this Saturday with the Tampa Nines hosted by the USARL’s Mayhem, which will also see women’s rugby league arrive in the United States.
The exciting season continues at two Californian venues to be advised on June 5 and June 19, before crossing the Atlantic to Dorodrecht in Holland on June 26. Nines will then be played on consecutive Dutch weekends – July 3 in Amsterdam and July 10 in Den Haag.
Then it’s back to California on July 17 and 31, with more action on August 21 and August 28 with the season winding up on September 4.
