Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) Chair Nigel Wood said this week that a nine-a-side World Cup could be held in 2019.
According to Wood, plans could be confirmed before the start of the 13-a-side World Cup in October.
“We think it’s a good way of bringing some of the tier two and tier three nations into the public domain more than we do at the moment,” Wood said.
“I’d be disappointed if by the start of the World Cup we weren’t clear about what we are doing in 2019 and how it would work and how the nations would qualify.”
The announcement of a world event for rugby league 9s is intriguing for a number of reasons.
The RLIF are showing vision and future planning which has been sorely lacking at times.
Rugby league administrators have been content in the past to have strong NRL/Super League competitions, State of Origin and a limited three way international environment.
Let’s be clear – this isn’t really about Australia, England and New Zealand. It is an opportunity to engage a wider more diverse audience in the game of rugby league albeit in an abbreviated or ‘pyjama’ form.
(Image: photosport.co.nz)
Rugby union has had success in growing the game internationally through a dedicated world sevens circuit for men and women, leading to the sport becoming an Olympic event.
Countries such as the USA, Canada and Kenya are highly competitive in the World Sevens Series, opening up new markets for venues, fans, sponsors and television coverage. Russia, Spain, and Japan are also on the professional circuit.
The key to rugby union’s success in attracting new audiences is providing entertainment with action and movement without the complicated and pedantic rules around scrummaging, rucks and mauls.
Sevens rugby works well in Greece for instance where participation numbers are low and players are still learning the rules.
The Greek rugby league held a successful 8s tournament on the island of Rhodes last year which included a team from Turkey and an Australian Greek Squad.
Rugby league 9s is in its infancy and the annual Auckland event is not without its issues.
NRL clubs have shown a distinct lack of interest in the tournament, sending star depleted squads to avoid pre season injuries. Many teams have insisted on playing 13-a-side low error, five hit ups and a long kick style footy that has left some fans ambivalent.
This is not about taking away from traditional 13-a-side rugby league. It is another product to bring more fans to the game. Not dissimilar to modern day cricket.
Traditional international Tests and 80 minute games will always be around for purists.
If there is an opportunity to attract new people to the game with a short and fast take on the game then why not?
Rugby league could be planning now for a professional men’s and women’s circuit with players from outside the NRL and Super League recruited as specialists on the back of the 9s World Cup.
Rules can be modified around play the balls and kicking to speed up the game and encourage players to play an exciting brand of rugby league.
Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea would take to the game like ducks to water and provide an exciting brand of rugby league for fans.
The latest RLIF world rankings list 42 countries playing the game. The possibility of holding tournaments in the USA and Canada on the back of the Toronto Wolfpack or Serbia who are emerging as a force in Europe would surely be an attractive proposition for potential sponsors.
The importance of the Asian market cannot be denied as evidenced by the current push by the AFL into China.
The opportunity has arrived. Rugby League has a footprint in many new countries. These fledgling competitions are eager to go to the next level of participation and interest.
Rugby League has traditionally perceived itself to be the more professional and innovative of the rugby codes
This time the sport should take a leaf out of rugby union’s old leather bound book and pursue the shortened version of the game to boost international growth.
Graham
Guest
Great to see London leading the way by hosting the London 9s festival in summer 2018. A music festival and 36 teams with 100 games in 1 day is an amazing feast of RL 9s. At last RL becomes FUN again. As 20/20 cricket reinvigorated the sport of cricket to a new audience, a freshly packaged 9s concept is what audiences are crying out for! Check out #LDN9s @london9s Let's hope the Governing bodies can get behind this private initiative!
Graham
Guest
Can't wait for the London9s #LDN9s to kick this off with annual 9s festival. Be a great tournament and music festival built in! At last RL become fun again!! @london9s
Jeff Morris
Guest
It was a joke, sort of. lol
Rugby365
Guest
Do you have facts to back that assumption up? Because last time I checked 7s still had scrums, rucks etc. 15 a side is still the far more popular form of the sport. The 2.4 million attendance at the last World Cup proved that and it's still the number way rugby gets new fans. 7s isn't a new concept and has been around for a 100 years. It is a fantastic way to introduce some new audiences to the sport in terms of teaching people the laws of the game. 7s has been fantastic for rugby but 15s will always be king
Jeff Morris
Guest
13-a-side League is already faster and more exciting than Union. Union had to go with 7s to get new audiences because the scrumaging, rucks, etc, was off putting to new audiences.
Parra
Guest
I think a wc 9's every four years and perhaps a one off event every year at a large city is ideal in both hemispheres. It creates an event without saturation. A perfect format for all nations to develop and grow with a view to competing in the WC and other tournaments when qualified. Rugby Union is saturating the market - too much isn't always better.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
With that logic 'let's just agree 11 man soccer and be done with it.' Because, you know.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
No thanks Katipo.Time consuming scrums and line outs,3 point penalties, should be left where they are for the techos. Stick to simplicity which X111 rugby league provides, plenty of ball in hand and ball in play time
Jeff dustby
Guest
And in super rugby too Check your facts
Katipo
Guest
Let's just agree 13 man rugby union and be done with it.
Big Daddy
Guest
Having a nines tournament is completely different to fully fledged test matches and not necessarily current test players. You can see how the NRL teams have supported nines by not picking best players. Obviously Nigel Wood trying to justify his position.
Nanco
Guest
The ground was full for the Paris finals but France losing early didn't help but of course the marquees are full for the minor games - same as happens in Auckland. People rightly don't like sitting in the sun for 6 hours at a time..
Flea
Guest
I think the difference between 9's and full 13's is much, much closer than 7's is to full 15's. Hopefully we will keep everyone playing both.
Adam
Roar Guru
As opposed to the empty stadiums that occur throughout the NRL season?
League fan
Guest
Agree Crosscoder it is a great way for developing the emerging nations. I just hope they don't intend on going the same route as the rugby 7's. You don't want players only specialising in the shortened version as this is just really only creating another code. Also a lot of 7s are played in front of empty stadiums which are not a good look.
Rugby365
Guest
You need to learn to crawl before you can walk. The reason 7s is successful is because they built a solid foundation first. Hong Kong was the first real annual international 7s tournament which began in the 70's, it wasn't until 1993 almost a solid 20 years later they had their first World Cup which then lead to the World Series. Why not start off with an annual international tournament to generate exposures to 9s which will help draw sponsors then have a World Cup?
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I've always believed rugby league 9s is the way to go for development purposes in virgin territory.Havina a WC 9s will be a further competitive extension to that. However this plan should never be at the expense of X111 or indeed replacement.
Cathar Treize
Guest
I am only a big fan of 9's only that it can give new or lower tier countries are softer introduction to the playing rigours of rugby league & the chance to be more competitive. Over the weekend I saw highlights of the rugby union 7's in Paris & the stadium was virtually empty, same as it was in places like Russia & even the more traditional venues. I just hope it doesn't dilute the product & people see it as too easy & wishy washy.
Fourteen14
Guest
Hurry up and do it already