The Auckland Nines will reappear in 2015, following the huge success of the 2014 series held earlier this year, with AUD$2.4 million on offer this time around.
Auckland’s Eden Park will again play host to the 31-game tournament, which last year drew 16,000 spectators from outside the Auckland area, as well as 6,000 Australians. An estimated 90,000 spectators are estimated to attend the 2015 series.
The 2015 Auckland Nines will see the squad size increased from 16 to 18 players to allow for increased rotation and longer rest periods, and each NRL club will again enter the fray, with star players contractually guaranteed to play. The 16 clubs are split into four pools of four, and each game is played with nine minute halves.
With the considerable prize pool, each club will want to toe the line between putting their best field on the park and trying to protect their biggest names for the season proper.
The 2014 tournament saw star players Michael Ennis, Jamie Soward, John Sutton and a host of their like plying their trade over the two-day tournament. The Warriors’ Shaun Johnson claimed the MVP title, while the top try-scorer accolade was shared by Cowboys’ winger Kyle Feldt and the Eels’ impressive youngster Semi Radradra, each with five tries.
The inaugural Auckland Nines was eventually won by the North Queensland Cowboys, with Johnathan Thurston notably absent, no less. The success gave the men from Townsville a confidence boost (and a tidy prize pool), which has fuelled in part their success in the NRL competition in 2014.
A new addition to this year’s competition will be three games played between the Australian Jillaroos and the NZRL Kiwis women during the event.
Date: 31 Jan/1 Feb 2015
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
TV Coverage: TBA – 2014 was Fox Sports (Aus) and Sky Sports (NZ)
Format, pools and fixtures: All 16 teams are split up into four groups, playing one another in the group stage. The top two teams from each group will then move on to the quarterfinals, and the winners from those eight games will play in a knockout format through to the Grand Final.
Group A: (RANGITOTO) Eels, Sea Eagles, Knights, Dragons.
Group B: (WAIHEKE) Storm, Cowboys, Panthers, Rabbitohs.
Group C: (PIHA) Roosters, Broncos, Bulldogs, Sharks.
Group D: (HUNUA) Tigers, Warriors, Raiders, Titans.
Full fixtures will be announced at a later date.
Group A (RANGITOTO): Parramatta Eels
The Eels’ youth played into their favour in the inaugural Auckland Nines, with players like Semi Radradra and Pauli Pauli able to take full advantage of the extra space available. With a maturing squad, this could be their chance for a Nines trophy. They are packed with exciting prospects, and are generally a young squad. If Jarryd Hayne is available, then watch out, the Eels could be a real threat for the 2015 Nines title.
Group B (WAIHEKE): North Queensland Cowboys
After an impressive run in the 2014 NRL season, the Cowboys will come to Aucklane primed to defend their title. They were without their superstar half Johnathan Thurston in the last Auckland Nines, and if he plays in 2015 then they will be right up there as favourites for the title. Even if he doesn’t play, partner in crime Robert Lui will be hard to handle, and Kyle Feldt more than proved his worth in last year’s competition as equal top try scorer. Add in a mobile, fast backrowers like Jason Taumalolo, Gavin Cooper and Scott Bolton and you’ve got a potent Nines combination.
Group C (PIHA): Brisbane Broncos
The Broncos made the finals in the 2014 NRL season, but inexperience and fatigue cost them a chance to progress any further in the tournament. They’ve got young talent up to their ears in the likes of Corey Oates and Ben Hunt, and along with Ben Barba and Anthony Milford, they should form a potent combination for the Broncos in this competition. Along with Justin Hodges and Corey Parker, they seem to have a squad built for this form of football.
Group D (HUNUA): New Zealand Warriors
Group D is a bit of a case of what could be for all the teams, except the Warriors, who are blessed with the speed, skill and talent that this competition thrives on. Their play was one of the highlights of the 2014 tournament, before they were denied a grand final berth by the Cowboys in a shock result in the semi finals. With Shaun Johnson, the 2014 player of the tournament, leading the charge they will be hell-bent on making 2015 their year. They make for must-watch status.
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