Suncorp Stadium wants to host the first World Nines tournament

SUNCORP Stadium bosses have nailed their colours to the mast and are keen to launch a bid to host the first World Nines tournament.

16 Mar 2007 Opening game of the NRL season at Suncorp Stadium - Bris Broncos vs Nth Qld Cowboys - Crowd in the stands. PicAnthony/Weate sport rugby league fans supporters

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SUNCORP Stadium bosses want to huddle with government backers about a bid to host next year’s World Nines rugby league tournament.

The State Government, Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane Marketing have supported the NRL’s Magic Round in which all 16 teams will play over four days at Suncorp Stadium in May.

And Suncorp Stadium sees the World Nines, put on the 2019 schedule last weekend by the Rugby League International Federation, as another league event tailor made for the venue and Brisbane sports watchers.

16 Mar 2007 Opening game of the NRL season at Suncorp Stadium - Bris Broncos vs Nth Qld Cowboys - Crowd in the stands. PicAnthony/Weate sport rugby league fans supporters

The Nines, to involve national teams, will be played in Australia after the NRL grand final and possibly before the Oceania Cup and would most likely be a two-day tournament.

The new Parramatta Stadium has also been advanced in the Sydney media as the venue for the World Nines.

“We’ve actually looked at getting our heads together locally on that — that’s one of the things we want to assess and see if it’s a good proposition for Queensland,’’ Suncorp Stadium general manager Alan Graham said.

“Timing will be an issue and timing does need to be considered as we have the Magic Round next year. That tournament has been part of strategic drafting (with rugby league officials) and it was something we’d seen as an option.

“Any of those opportunities with new product we will always been interested in.’’

Super League held two Nines tournaments in the late 1990s.

When the NRL touted a revived NRL Nines pre-season tournament for 2019, the State Government opted not to pursue it so as to focus all efforts on the marketing of the Magic Round.

In the Oceania Cup Tests tournament, the Kangaroos will play in a group involving New Zealand and Tonga.

A World Nines was held twice during the Super League dispute in the mid-1990s, once in Fiji and once in Townsville, and the RLIF’s Nines initiative follows on from the NRL’s discontinued Nines pre-season tournament in Auckland.

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Originally published as Suncorp Stadium wants to host the first World Nines tournament