International rugby league calendar gets overhaul with new Nines competition

The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) has attempted to breathe new life into the game with a significant overhaul of the game's international calendar, which will include a World Nines tournament, reportedly agreed to in principle.

The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph that Australia will host the World Nines next year, with the tournament reintroduced for the first time since 1997.

Sixteen nations played the 1996 World Nines tournament in Fiji and 12 competed in its second and last edition in Townsville the following year.

The end of the Super League war and the introduction of the unified NRL competition in 1998 put an end to the tournament before it really got a chance to establish itself but the RLIF is bringing it back to run parallel to the 13-man game in a similar way to how rugby sevens co-exists with the more traditional 15-man game in rugby union.

According to the Telegraph's report, the soon to be opened Western Sydney Stadium is set to host next year's Nines tournament, which will feature both men's and women's competitions, but is not expected to involve top-tier players.

A draft calendar of next year's rugby league Test matches was also laid out, with New Zealand set to face Tonga as part of the representative round in the middle of the NRL season, while Australia will once again play the Kiwis and Tonga in back-to-back end of season Tests.

Great Britain have also confirmed a tour of the southern hemisphere next year but will skip Australia. They are likely to have Tests against New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea.