RLIF pondering World Nines

NRL head of game strategy and development Shane Richardson has revealed that the RLIF are considering staging a World Nines event in the near future.

The NRL‘s season-opening Auckland Nines have been a commercial and sporting success over the last couple of years, and Richardson believes that there could be an opportunity to expand the concept internationally.

“You have to test the waters before you start running with it,” Richardson said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

“You could play it anywhere and there’s lots of people who want to do it now putting their hand up.

“It’s a real opportunity to get commercial income that they can utilise and grow into some of the other nations like Tonga, Samoa and more importantly in Europe, where the game is growing despite people knocking it. Without money it is impossible to do.

“That’s a real commercial opportunity for the RLIF.”