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There’s a lot of hype around the upcoming nines tournament in Auckland and most of it is pretty valid.
It’s probably going to be an action packed, highlights filled event and a great advertisement of rugby league.
But it isn’t really comparable to sevens, or be seen as a game that can be moulded to imitate it.
Sevens is a game created to increase participation of union by making it much more accessible.
You only need 14 players instead of 30+, the minimised structure almost entirely removes the usual tussle and grind of rugby that daunts smaller players and creates gaps for them to shine and the reduced playtime and collisions reduces injuries.
Nines though has a much different focus with its truncation.
Of course both forms will open up more gaps, but without the ruck commitments of RU and with two extra men on the field it’s going to be a much more crowded space.
As such line-breaks and break away tries are going to be harder to achieve than in sevens.
This format involves defence a lot more than sevens and should force playmakers into the game much more than in a general 13-a-side match essentially forcing more creative play and plenty of material to fill the NRL pre-season promotions with.
Nines is essentially a pre-season promotional machine designed to concentrate exiting plays and get people excited for the upcoming season. I think it is a much more enticing proposition then the All Stars game.
However rugby league does have a potential answer to sevens in touch football.
The NRL’s partnership with touch football was a very important step into strengthening its junior base and providing a pathway or an alternative to full contact rugby league. The RFL has also seen this opportunity and has recently published adverts promoting the sport.
Touch and its derivative Oz-Tag provide a way for any casual fans of the sport to involve themselves and provide a vital non-contact alternative which can appeal to a much wider potential player base.
Touch is a much easier proposition to sell to schools and juniors. It also provides a medium which can have both men and women playing in the same game, opening up the women’s game tremendously.
It also is much easier to sell to foreign markets with its much laxer playing prerequisites.
Touch and Oz-Tag may not provide as good an audience experience as regular RL or nines, but its purpose is to engage players and any fan following is an added bonus.
It helps spread rugby league culture and introduces the rules and customs of rugby league in a casual yet involving way.
And while amateur participation doesn’t necessarily lead to increased attendances and members for professional teams it presents clubs and leagues an opportunity to reach potential fans who are already adept with the sport and knowledgeable of the rules (at least most of them).
The Auckland Nines will be played on the 15th and 16th of February and will be televised live on Fox Sports. Find out all the details here.
Click here for the full list of squads from the Auckland Nines.
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