This time rugby league really was the winner on the day – a sold out Eden Park could attest to that.
In perfect conditions, blue skies, a dry field and a comfortable 23 degrees, the inaugural NRL Nines kicked off at Auckland on Saturday in a priceless promotion for the code in the rugby union heartland.
It seems hard to believe that NRL clubs initially voted against the concept.
But nothing venture, nothing gained and those same clubs who finally agreed on the concept should be reaping the rewards for years to come.
Aucklanders embraced the shortform event with almost 100,000 fans to pass through the turnstiles over the two days with a number of them sporting costumes on day one.
The Wizard of Oz’s Tin Man was there, Cleopatra too and the Joker as well alongside an army of rugby league fans clad in their team’s colours. And of course on field there was a streaker.
In a day that had almost everything, comeback king Brad Fittler received the biggest cheer early on his return for the Sydney Roosters after 10 seasons away.
That was before the hometown Warriors roared onto the park to put Canberra to the sword and flex their tournament muscle.
The concourses around the venue were packed with a carnival atmosphere until the Warriors took the field and there wasn’t a spare seat in the house and the football took on a far more serious bent.
With pre-tournament favourites leading the way on the field the football was far more intriguing than the now defunct Sevens format.
As anticipated, touch rugby star Shaun Johnson starred for the home side in wins over Canberra and Manly.
The fans were boisterous and happy and the players loved the occasion too.
“It’s a great event,” Johnson said.
“The crowd is fantastic, it was great to be out there.”
Fittler kept up his end of the bargain too, his intercept try in the Sydney Roosters’ win over Brisbane keeping them in the tournament.
A possible ACL injury to North Queensland fullback Lachlan Coote an obvious downside of the day.
With another day, and the pointy end of the tournament to come, the plot, and the interest is only set to thicken.
Remmy
Guest
Umm Rugby Sevens is more like touch footy buddy. With no-name players running end to end. While Nines has the stars and four more people on the field.. so how could it be more like touch than sevens?
Remmy
Guest
Umm Rugby Sevens is more like touch footy buddy. With no-name players running end to end. While Nines has the stars and four more people on the field.. so how could it be more like touch than sevens?
nanas
Guest
Not sure there is much difference between 9s and 13-a-site even with 4 in the sin bin. As for rugby 10s is definitely more rugby than 7s.
rae1
Guest
NZ is rugby first - end of. But most rugby fans in NZ also enjoy and can appreciate league. There is little to no animosity between the codes here (NZ) amongst players nor fans. There are lots of stories about kids lacing up every Saturday for rugby, but you will find many of those same kids are/were also lacing up to play league on Sunday.
The High Shot
Roar Pro
Glad to see plenty of union fans who aren't jealous paranoid code warriors. What a great weekend of rugby league football.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Not trying to compare the 9s with the ABs Emric.just clarifying your comment by implication the bulk of rl fans reside in Auckland.Yet the bullk of fans came from outside Auckland. That says one of two things @people went to an event, and/or B) there just maybe people who like rl ,in the rest of the country. NRL preseason and games held in those places suggest quite a few do. NZ's national code is ru,so the 9s tournament exceeded expectations.
simmo green
Guest
Yes of course, I'd forgotten that people remain sober at RL matches
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
That happened away from the venue it appears Katipo.Just like happenings away from the SFS/ANZ and SCG,with fans who attended.Unless it can be attributed to an incident within the venue,can't see the point. ATM it appears another example of the stupidity of people at night ,in a public place.
Rek
Guest
Very true. And while we kiwi's love our domestic comp, enjoy our super rugby, it's the international game we have our pride in. Watching the All Blacks beat teams from larger countries is always going to be a crowd pleaser. League doesn't have much to offer us in that regard. Personally I watch both codes, I think NRL is far better comp then the Super Rugby but the Union internationals are so far superior it's ridiculous. I also watch both 7's and this weekends 9's and enjoy both. I've attended the Gold Coast sevens for the last 3 years, and would attend the Auckland nines if I still lived there. I like that they both play differently, true to their full side. In 9's you can make a break without having to worry about getting isolated for example. Reducing from 13 to 9 is not as big of an impact in defense is as 15 to 7. But you only have to watch the All Black Sevens play to see how a good side can still defend an entire football field with 7 players (they avoided having a try scored against them for the ENTIRE POOL STAGES at Skilled Park this Oct. The benefit the NRL has with the 9's is that they have the chance to have a much more even comp then the 7's. The 7's has the lower trophies which is great, but having 16 teams from the outset that all have a solid shot of winning is fantastic (which is why the full NRL is also great).
Katipo
Guest
@Cathar Treize. This seems to be staying under the radar for now.... But for how long? http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9728219/Nines-fan-in-critical-condition-following-assault
Emric
Guest
Cathar You've never been to a wellington sevens have you. I've been to 4 and while I agree the last few years have been about the "party" the ones i went to early on were more about the rugby.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Yeah growing following amongst the alcoholics. Why does union push the social/ drink heaps of booze aspect at these tournaments? Over 300 ejected or arrested at the Wellington Sevens. I hear Vegas 7's is a frat party in disguise. Hong Kong is for rich drunkards who sing hooray henry songs and spend up big on their corporate accounts.
Emric
Guest
I didn't watch the 9s because it seems far to much like 13s except with slightly more space (perhaps the next incarnation of 13 will be to officially drop 4 more players?) anyway Rugby 7's has a growing following the world over and kiwis still tune into it with tv ratings of up to 300,000. Of course this is all just personal opinion
Emric
Guest
Boomshanka its not us kiwis who are not prepared to admit that League has a following what our Australian cousins do not understand is the bulk of those supporters are also die hard rugby supporters.
simmo green
Guest
From what I could understand the coaching staff of most teams were a little culpable in not 'prepping' their sides for the tournament. Those I caught being interviewed were either indifferent or honest in not really knowing how things would pan out. Suggested to me that they spent little time understanding what the outcomes might be or could be with 8 fewer participants. I'm guessing the short restarts and the other little cameos were players initiatives rather than the coach's
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
So predictable that the Warriors were favourites.they lost.Few thought the Broncos would offer much,they showed kids with brilliant attacking skills.Teams that were supposed to be duds ,brought off a few surprising wins.There was plenty of reading of play,with chip kicks,grubbers,run a rounds,cross kicks,cut outs,off loads.In fact it was the defensive structure of the Cowboys,that stifled the Warriors. The lack of scrums made it a far better spectacle.The rl scrums are a dogs'breakfast the the best of times. The day I get all warm and fuzzy over a scrum,is the day I take up another code. The rules allowed for a fast moving flowing and open game,with plenty of decent defence ,something 13s generally does not have.And as far as 7s goes,when the code had the World 7s in Sydney ,I was a fan. After watching 9s even in its infancy it is a far superior to watch ,more body taxing than the 7s which was more a touch style with fewer tackles. 7s and 9s agree require different structures in attack and defence,That does not change IMO the spectacle on the field .I would pay to go to the Auckland 9s ,I doubt I would if it were 7s. The very reason 9s is an introduction tool for rl ,in developing countries,is its abridged similarity to the true blue 13 a side game. And I am on song with your last line.,the style will change and more star players will also be involved.remembering quite a few did not play due to World Cup involvement lat 2013.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
and your opinion is worth everything? Lots of people have enjoyed the event and many non league fans. 7's in my opinion is predictable, uninventive dross hence the need for copious amounts of alcohol.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
'isolated teams' what they have no internet or tv where they come from? Plenty of unusual comparisons by league haters on this site when making their points so I see why no difference all of a sudden.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
oh and that's sooooo missing in union & AFL :)
simmo green
Guest
It was predictable, it was uncreative, it lacked the imagination that all that extra space and time deserved. The points of difference were the kick offs, where there was often a contest for possession and the lack of scrums. The paradox of course is that having scrums would have at least compressed eight participants and provided attacking opportunities. Nines or Sevens are entirely different games that require different structures in both attack and defence. Sure it had some big hits, some scorching runs and some individual brilliance, but it was still effectively 9 players engaged in the 13 man contest. To be fair, I would expect the style and dynamics of the game to develop into a decent spectacle over the course of the next few years.