| World Nines | |
| Founded: | 1996 |
| Countrytag: | Region |
| Country: | International (SLIB) |
| Most Champs: | New Zealand (2 titles) |
| Folded: | 1997 |
The Super League World Nines (known as the Gatorade Super League World Nines due to sponsorship), was a pre-season rugby league nines tournament between national sides. Set up in the midst of the Super League war and created in opposition to the Australian Rugby League's World Sevens tournament, the tournament was held twice before being abandoned when the two factions merged to form the National Rugby League.
The 1996 World Nines were held at National Stadium in Suva, Fiji from 22 February to 24 February. The winner of this competition was New Zealand, who won their first world trophy in a rugby league competition.[1] New Zealand were awarded A$30,000 for the win.
The 1996 World Nines marked the first time that a video referee was used for a game of Rugby League or Rugby Union . Due to a court ruling in the Federal Court of Australia, this was the only Super League competition held in 1996.
The 1997 World Nines were held in Townsville, Queensland from 31 January to 2 February. New Zealand won this competition for the second year in a row.
All teams were selected as professional playing squads.
Sixteen squads competed in Suva: - Ireland played in a warm up test V's Australia at the Fiji National Stadium in the week leading up to the World Nines. 14 February 1996. Australia winning 22:12.
John Kirwan (New Zealand) won a Rugby Union World Cup Winners Medal with the All Blacks in the 1st ever Rugby World Cup 1987. Kirwan would go on to Coach both Italy and Japan National Rugby Union Teams
Henry Paul (New Zealand) would represent ~ Bath, Gloucester and England in Rugby Union.
Gary Connolly, of England, and Martin Hall, the Welsh captain, were forced to withdraw from their respective squads after being threatened with legal action by the Australian Rugby League.[2]
*Gary Connolly would go on to transfer to play for Munster Rugby Union 1998 - Ireland.
Scott Quinnell, Allan Bateman (Wales) would both return to Rugby Union and play for the British & Irish Lions in the winning series v's South Africa.
Iestyn Harris (Wales) would represent Wales in Rugby Union.
Andy Farrell (England) went on the represent England in Rugby Union, and to coach England and later Ireland in Rugby Union
Georgie Graham (Scotland) would represent Scotland in Rugby Union
| NEW ZEALANDCoach - Graeme Norton[3] 1. Sean Hoppe (c) 2. John Kirwan 3. Stephen Kearney 4. Nigel Vagana 5. Gene Ngamu 6. Tony Tatupu 7. Gavin Hill 8. Mark Carter 9. Stacey Jones 10. Tony Iro 11. Richie Barnett 12. Henry Paul 13. Ruben Wiki 14. Latham Tawhai | PAPUA NEW GUINEACoach - | AUSTRALIACoach - Mal Meninga 1. Robbie Beckett2. Jason Croker3. Laurie Daley (c) 4. Andrew Ettingshausen5. David Furner6. Simon Gillies7. Paul Green8. Michael Hancock9. Jason Hetherington10. Glenn Lazarus11. Brett Mullins12. Steve Renouf13. Wendell Sailor14. Ricky Stuart15. Kevin Walters | ENGLANDCoach - 1. Rob Smyth2. Phil Cantillon | |
| WALESCoach -Clive Griffiths[4] 1. Allan Bateman (Cronulla)2. Iestyn Harris3. Mark Jones (both Warrington)4. Paul Atcheson5. Neil Cowie6. Scott Quinnell (all Wigan)7. Jason Critchley8. Gareth Cochrane (both Keighley)9. Gareth Stephens (Castleford)10. Gavin Price-Jones (Swinton)11. Ian Watson (Salford)12. Mark Perrett (Halifax)13. Rowland Phillips (Workington)14. John Donno (Widnes) | WESTERN SAMOACoach - Max McCamish[5] 1. Tea Ropati (c)2. Willie Poching3. Mike Setefano4. Robert Piva5. Bryan Laumatia6.Fetuao Peeleti7. Faamati Laumanuvae8. Tuti Godinet9. Sinoti Fuanonofo10. Okesene Moananu11. Siu Amosa12. Wayne Schuster | TONGACoach - | IRELANDCoach - Niel Wood Physio - Seamus McCallion Manager - Ramsay Fawell
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| FIJICoach - | FRANCECoach - | ITALYCoach - | SCOTLANDCoach - George Fairbairn 1. Chris Simmers2. Alisdair Blee3. Nick Mardon4. Darrall Shelford5. James Cowan6. Graeme Thompson7. Darren Shaw8. Danny Russell9. Bill McGinty10. Gary Murdock11. Steve Tait12. George Graham13. Sean Cusack14. Billy Gamba 15. Scott Gilmour | |
| COOK ISLANDSCoach - 1. Meti Noovao | UNITED STATESCoach - 1. David Di Sorbio2. Kevin Gittings3. Robert Balachandran4. Terry Wallace5. Prince Hill6. Kevin Cassidy7. Aaron Tucker8. Mike Evergin9. Fred Gruhler10. David Bowe11. Shelton Davis12. Rob Anna13. Greg Stelluti14. Mike Loader15. Britton Coffman16. Chris Veally17. Nick Bell | MOROCCOCoach - | JAPANCoach - |
Twelve squads of fourteen players competed in Townsville:[6]
| GREAT BRITAINCoach - Andy Gregory 1. Andy Farrell (c)2. Stuart Spruce3. Scott Naylor4. Martin Crompton5. John Bentley6. Chris Smith7. Keith Senior8. Barrie-Jon Mather9. Denis Betts10. Tommy Martyn11. Iestyn Harris12. Adrian Morley13. Stephen Holgate14. Tulsen Tollett | WESTERN SAMOACoach - Mark Graham 1. Apollo Perelini2. Vila Matautia3. John Schuster4. Willie Swann5. Bryan Laumatia6. Iva Ropati7. Logan Swann8. Tea Ropati9. Phillip Leuluai10. Jerry Seuseu11. Anthony Swann12. Nigel Vagana13. Fata Sini14. Matt Sauvao | JAPANCoach - Max Mannix 1. Masami Fukada2. Yoshihiro Noda3. Jun Kanezawa4. Kenichiro Yukamizu5. Takeshi Muda6. Kiyoto Kobayashi7. Greg Mannix (c)8. Toru Suzuki9. Yuji Suzuki10. Yoshikazu Kanemaru11. Kazumi Iida12. Natsutake Haga13. Kenji Morita14. Soji Mitobe | TONGACoach - Duane Mann 1. Franklin Fonua2. Lesley Vainikolo3. Paul Kulon4. Cheaf Fakavamoenga5. Peter Tanginoa6. Koliniasi Filiai7. Tevita Tuifua8. Malupo Liutai9. Esau Mann10. Sune Atoa11. Takai Taulanga12. Pauliasi Masoe13. Willie Wolfgramm14. Atunaisa Fotu | |
| SOUTH AFRICACoach - Paul Matete 1. Tiaan Strauss (c)2. Andy Marinos3. Kevin Schrader4. Tim Fourie5. Warren McCann6. Andrew Ballot7. Mark Johnson8. Hannes Venter9. Walter McGreachey10. Michael Horak11. Andre Erasmus12. Justin Jennings13. Cornelius Nel14. Johnny Gernum | FRANCECoach - Ivan Grésèque 1. Frederic Banquet2. Pascal Bomati3. Jerôme Alonso4. Hadji Boudebza5. Ludovic Daure6. Patrick Torreilles7.David Despin8. Arnaud Dulac9. Bruno Vergis10. Jerome Guisset11. Pascal Jampy12. Gaël Tallec13. Frederic Teixido14. Eric Vergniol | UNITED STATESCoach - Greg Gerard 1. Terry Wallace2. David Niu (c)3. Ryan McCough4. Loren Broussard5. Jeff Preston6. Prince Hill7. David Bowe8. Laau Affumango9. Robert Balachandran10. Greg Schor11. Fred Gruhler12. Brian Geraghty13. Marcus Maffei14. Doug Erickson | AUSTRALIACoach - Tim Sheens 1. Ryan Girdler2. Andrew Ettingshausen3. Allan Langer (c)4. Wendell Sailor5. Steve Renouf6. Gordon Tallis7. Jason Croker8. Brett Hetherington9. David Furner10. Paul Green11. Steve Walters12. Michael Hancock13. Glenn Lazarus14. Kevin Walters | |
| PAPAU NEW GUINEACoach - Gabriel Kiluwa 1. Ruben Ruing2. Marcus Bai3. John Okul4. Robert Siu5. Sam Wuvua6. James Kops7. Mark Mom8. Robert Tela9. Elias Paiyo10. David Westley (c)11. Raymond Karl12. Bruce Mamando13. Simon Kundi14. Jackery Kipsi | NEW ZEALANDCoach - Graeme Norton 1. Stacey Jones 2. Marc Ellis 3. Stephen Kearney (c) 4. Joe Vagana 5. Shane Endacott 6. Richie Barnett 7. Ruben Wiki 8. Quentin Pongia 9. Robbie Paul 10. Tony Tatupu 11. Tony Iro 12. Tyran Smith 13. John Timu 14. Jason Williams. Henry Paul, Matthew Ridge, Sean Hoppe, Grant Young and Gene Ngamu all withdrew due to injuries.[7] | COOK ISLANDSCoach - Paul McGreal 1. Patrick Kuru2. Clive Arona3. Zane Clark4. Alex Kermonde5. Bob Hunter6. Meti Noovao7. Tauel Shepherd8. William Puaru9. Kevin Iro10. Craig Bowen11. Ali Davys12. Richard Piakura13. Lloyd Matapo14. Taimati Amosa | FIJICoach - Etuwate Waqa 1. Timogi Vatakuli2. Matareti Mautau3. Paula Baravilula4. Inoke Ratudina5. Joe Tamani6. Kalaveti Naisoro7. Ilatia Takaladau8. Meli Kaidroka9. Stan Tulevu10. Samuela Marayawa11. Luga Gonegali12. Sakuisa Vulaono13. Vula Dakuitoga14. Saimoni Camaitoga |
| width=90 | Year | width=240 | Winners | width=60 | Score | width=240 | Runner-up | width=240 | Trophy | width=240 | Plate | width=240 | Bowl | width=240 | Host | width=50 class="unsortable" | Source |
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| 1996 | New Zealand | 24-10 | Papua New Guinea | Wales | Fiji | Cook Islands | Suva, Fiji | [8] [9] | |||||||||
| 1997 | New Zealand | 16-0 | Western Samoa | Not awarded | Fiji | Tonga | Townsville, Australia | [10] |