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16 April 2025
We are proud to announce the return of the National District 9s Tournament for its fourth year.
The Tournament returns to Auckland’s Bruce Pulman Park over Easter weekend, Saturday April 19 and Sunday April 20. Pool games will take place on Saturday with all semi-finals and finals on Sunday.
The format of the Tournament remains unchanged, featuring 32 teams from throughout the country. Eight teams in each grade—16s Boys, 16s Girls, 18s Boys, and 18s Girls—will compete for the championship.
In 2024, Waikato’s girls and Auckland’s boys won the 16s divisions, while Canterbury’s girls and Wellington’s boys claimed the 18s titles.
Seven districts across the motu will be represented at this year’s nationals: Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Manawatu, Wellington, and Southland.
This will be the first time the Southland district enters teams in every grade, as the sole South Island district represented at this year’s tournament.
Grassroots rugby league is the foundation of our domestic game, and the National District 9s provides a platform for rangatahi to showcase their talent while proudly representing their communities on the national stage.
David McMeeken National Football Operations Manager at NZRL says, “Now in its fourth year, the National District 9s Tournament has increased participation in several districts across Aotearoa, particularly in regions where engagement has previously been limited.
“These districts have worked hard to form mini tournaments and local competitions, opening up more pathways for them to be represented at national events like the District 9s, as well as the National Secondary Schools and National Youth Tournaments.”
The 9s format continues to play a pivotal role not only in encouraging more female participation but also in developing the fundamental skills and overall quality of rugby league being played by young wāhine.
Luisa Avaiki, Head of Women’s Rugby League at NZRL, says, “It’s exciting that we’re continuing to build on the momentum from previous years of this tournament, which has become a key fixture in our calendar. It creates opportunities for girls from every district in Aotearoa to get involved and build confidence.
“Since the first National 9s Tournament in 2022, we’ve also seen an improvement in the quality of football played by the young women at this tournament.”
Visit Sporty for the Tournament draw, results and the Day 2 draw will be updated regularly.
Games on Field 1 and Field 4 will be live-streamed, visit here to sign in with your email and watch for free nzrl.co.nz/district-9s-sign-in.
As seen on the Southland Tribune
The Southland rugby league community will pack out a plane at lunchtime on Friday for a journey to Auckland that’s been spurred on by a lot of “heart, hustle, and hope”.
Included on that plane will be 60 Southland rangatahi who are ready for what’s been described as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to showcase their skills on a national stage.
Four Southland teams will line up in New Zealand Rugby League’s National District 9s tournament across the girls and boys under-16 and under-18 grades.
Southland District Rugby League Development Officer Dominic Vercoe said the journey to get the kids to Auckland was an uplifting one.
“This isn’t just a sports story. It’s a powerful example of what can happen when passion meets opportunity, and when a community rallies around its young people,” Vercoe told The Tribune.
Southland District Rugby League – led by the team managers alongside whānau support – has raised over $70,000 to get the kids to the tournament.
“It’s a true Southland effort, full of heart, hustle, and hope,” Vercoe said.
“It’s much bigger than rugby league. We are from a certain part of New Zealand where some kids don’t get the opportunities like the rest of New Zealand do, to go to a tournament like this in Auckland.”
For most kids, the two-day tournament will be an opportunity to create some special memories representing Southland at a national tournament.
For others, it could potentially open some significant doors.
A number of NRL clubs are expected to have scouts casting their eyes over the New Zealand talent in Auckland at the National 9s tournament.
The emergence of the NRLW competition has ramped up the opportunities for female rugby league players.
It is in the girls’ game where Southland probably possesses its most exciting rugby league talent at the moment, and where some of those opportunities with NRL clubs might come.
That girls’ promise was highlighted by the Southland U16 girls team winning a recent Southland-Otago tournament and Manaiya Leishman being named tournament MVP.
Last year Leishman captained the South Island Scorpions U16 team despite being just 14 at the time.
Manaiya’s older sister Jayda is another in Southland’s crop of promising female players.
“We’ve got some girls in our development system who are names you will want to remember for the future, they’ll be playing NRLW,” Vercoe said.
“It just goes to show what Southland Rugby League, the parents, and the community are doing for the development side of it down here.
“NRLW wasn’t even a pathway two or three years ago, now that pathway is massively wide open.”
The nine-a-side format, rather than the traditional 13-a-side rugby league games, has worked perfectly for a smaller region like Southland to get teams to Auckland for the national tournament.
Vercoe said a squad of 21 players would be needed to line up in a traditional 13-a-side tournament, which would be a stretch for Southland’s playing resources.
Nine-a-side provided a good platform for Southland rugby league to provide opportunities and try to grow the game.
“This is the start. We’ll get up there and these kids will get to experience it, and the community will get to see what we’ve done up there.
“Hopefully, it will inspire some other kids, and, in the future, we can take up a 13-a-side team,” Vercoe said.
The National 9s U16 and U18 tournament will be played across two days starting on Saturday.
Read more on the Southland Tribune
31 March 2024
18s Girl’s Finals
Auckland 10 v Canterbury 20
The host team were first to put points on the board in the opening minutes of the game, scoring through their right edge before successfully kicking the conversion. They continued building momentum in the game, scoring again shortly after off the back of excellent ball play and strong finishing on the try line. The Cantabrians were unable to score in the first half, with the score set at 10-0 half time to Auckland.
The opening of the second half saw the Canterbury Bulls strike back to maintain a footing in the game, after a nifty dart from dummy half and over the try line to score. The girls from Canterbury continued to build momentum after an Auckland error gave them possession and the opportunity to score again. A successful conversion equalised the score to 10-all with minutes to go. The Aucklanders struggled to fire back as Canterbury continued to play with energy and pace. A barging run from a Canterbury forward 10 metres from the try-line saw them score a third try to take the lead. In the final minute of the match, the South Islanders sealed their win with one final try down their right edge, crowning them the national U18 girls champions for 2024.
18s Boys Finals
Wellington 20 v Canterbury 4
The boys from the capital were first to put points on the board in the opening minute of the match, with fast pace and skill giving them the opportunity to cross the white line. They continued to build momentum while keeping out the South Islanders, going on to score again minutes later and successfully converting. The halftime score was set at 10-0 in favour of the Wellington Orcas.
Wellington continued their roll-on from the first half, firing straight away to score twice in the opening minutes of the second half. Determined to stay in the game, the Cantabrians struck back with excellent ball play and speed down their left edge to give them their first try. This would be the final try of the match, the Orcas being too dominant and claiming the championship title.
16s Girl’s Finals
Wellington 8 v Waikato 14
It was the defending champions Wellington who put points on the board first in their initial attacking set of the game, utilising their strong-running left edge. Shortly after they would cross for another, shifting the ball along to their right edge for the winger to score. The girls from the Waikato fought to stay in the game, scoring their first try just before the half to set the score at 8-4 to Wellington.
In a shift of momentum, the Waikato side struck first after the halftime break, with a show of pace from the left winger to beat the Wellington defender and score. A successful conversion put them in the lead by two points. The team would cement their win with another try in the last minute of the game through another individual display of speed down the right edge, dethroning the team from the capital.
16s Boys Finals
Canterbury 10 v Auckland 18
The Aucklanders came firing out of the gates to score right from the kick-off, with a well-placed kick seeing them win possession and go on to score. Minutes later, skilful passing and ball movement saw #7 Calvin Harris-Tavita score his second for the host team, followed by a successful conversion. Not to be diminished the Cantabrians rolled down the field with excellent momentum, before spreading the ball across to cross for their first try. The halftime score was 10-4 in favour of Auckland.
The first four minutes of the second half went scoreless, until an excellent cut-out pass by Auckland saw them score their third down their left wing. The boys from Canterbury battled to maintain their footing in this match, capitalising off an Auckland error in their own in-goal to score. A successful conversion saw the margin narrow to just four points. Now a one-try game, in the last minute before the full-time hooter, the determined Aucklanders stormed down the pitch to score once more.
The National District 9s semi-finals action kicked off this morning to determine which teams and districts are headed to the finals later today. The first final will take place between the girls from Canterbury and Auckland at 2:00pm. In the boy’s grade, Wellington and Canterbury were successful in their matches and will head to the final at 2:30pm. Both finals will be broadcast on Sky Sport.
Boys 18s Semi-Finals
Wellington 12 v Auckland 10
Canterbury 8 v Otago 4
Both semi-finals were closely-contested, with the Wellington Orcas narrowly beating the the Aucklanders by a 2-point kick to secure their place in the final, and the Cantabrians beating Otago by one try to join them.
Boys 16s Finals – Wellington v Canterbury 2:30pm
Girls 18s Semi-Finals
Waikato 10 v Canterbury 16
Auckland 16 v Northland 4
The girls from Canterbury overcame the Waikato side by one converted try, while the Aucklanders showed their skill to overcome Northland by three tries to face Canterbury in the final.
Girls 18s Finals – Canterbury v Auckland 2:00pm
The National District 9s semi-finals action kicked off this morning to determine which teams and districts are headed to the 16s finals later today. The first final will take place between the girls from Wellington and Waikato at 1:00pm. In the boy’s grade, Canterbury and Auckland were successful in their matches and will head to the final at 1:30pm. Both finals will be broadcast on Sky Sport.
Boys 16s Semi-Finals
Wellington 10 v Canterbury 12
Auckland 26 v Northland 4
The Cantabrian boys narrowly beat the Wellington Orcas by a 2-point kick to secure their place in the final, while the Aucklanders produced a dominant win over Northland.
Boys 16s Finals – Canterbury v Auckland 1:30pm
Girl’s 16s Semi-Finals
Wellington 12 v Manawatu 8
Auckland 4 v Waikato 8
Both girl’s semi-finals were close-contested, with Wellington and Waikato narrowly winning their games by one try to book a place in the finals.
Girl’s 16s Finals – Wellington v Waikato 1:00pm
30 March 2024
The New Zealand Rugby League National District 9s kicked off at Bruce Pulman Park this Easter Saturday, with Day 1 consisting of round-robin matches. By the end of the day, semi-finalist teams were confirmed consisting of the Wellington, Northland, Auckland and Canterbury boy’s sides, and Wellington, Waikato, Auckland, and Manawatu for the girl’s grade.
Boys 16s
Round 1 of the day saw the Northland, Wellington, Bay of Plenty, and Auckland sides all claim their first victories. The Coastline team in Pool A are making their National District 9s Tournament debut.
In Round 2 Otago took their first win, while Wellington and Northland finished in a low-scoring deadlock at 4-all. In Pool B, the Aucklanders continued their winning streak and Canterbury chalked up their first win against Bay of Plenty.
In the final round of the day, Wellington and Northland cemented their spots in the semi-finals for Pool A by winning their respective matches. In Pool B it was the Aucklanders and Cantabrians who finished first and second ahead of Bay of Plenty and Taranaki to go through to playoffs.
Pool A Standings
Wellington
Northland
Otago
Coastline
Pool B Standings
Auckland
Canterbury
Bay of Plenty
Taranaki
Boys 16s semi-finals Sunday 31st March
Wellington v Canterbury – 9:30am Field 2
Northland v Auckland – 9:30am Field 5
Girls 16s
In the girl’s grade the wāhine from Waikato, Wellington, Manawatu, and Auckland were all successful in winning their Round 1 matches. The Southland team in Pool A are the sole team representing the district in the tournament.
The second round saw Bay of Plenty take their first win of the day in Pool B, while Auckland, Wellington, and Waikato continued their winning momentum.
In Pool A Wellington completed a clean sweep after narrowly defeating Waikato, with the two sides locked in for semi-finals tomorrow. Pool B came down to points difference, with Auckland just coming out on top over Manawatu by four points. The two sides will face Wellington and Waikato in playoffs tomorrow.
Waikato
Southland
Manawatu
Girls 16s semi-finals Sunday 31st March
Wellington v Manawatu – 9:00am Field 2
Auckland v Waikato – 9:00am Field 5
For all draw and results updates visit sporty.co.nz.
Field 1 will be broadcast on Sky Sport
Field 2 will be live-streamed on Veo
Field 3 will be live-streamed on YouTube
The New Zealand Rugby League National District 9s kicked off at Bruce Pulman Park this Easter Saturday, with Day 1 consisting of round-robin matches. By the end of the day, semi-finalist teams were confirmed consisting of the Wellington, Otago, Canterbury and Auckland boy’s sides, and Waikato, Northland, Auckland and Canterbury for the girl’s grade.
Boys 18s
Round 1 of the day saw the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Canterbury sides claim their first wins of the weekend, the Cantabrians beating Auckland the 2023 champions. Pool A’s North Island v South Island match-up between Wellington and Otago was an even contest ending in a draw.
In Round 2 Wellington and Otago chalked up their first wins of the tournament, while Canterbury continued their winning momentum. In Pool B Manawatu and Auckland clashed but neither side could clinch a victory, with the final score at 20-all.
Pool A came down to points difference in the third and final round of the day, with the Wellingtonians narrowly coming out on top of the pool ahead of Otago, for the two sides to advance to semi-finals. In Pool B the Canterbury side completed a clean sweep to finish first, followed by the Aucklanders who beat the Bay of Plenty Lakers.
Standings
Pool A
Pool B
Boys 18s semi-finals Sunday 31st March
Wellington v Auckland – 10:30am Field 2
Otago v Canterbury – 10:30am Field 5
Girls 18s
The 18’s girl’s grade kicked off the tournament with Northland, Waikato, Canterbury, and Auckland all winning their initial games. The Coastline team in Pool B are making their National District 9s Tournament debut.
Round 2 of pool matches saw Taranaki and Wellington victorious for the first time in the day, while Auckland and Waikato continued to go undefeated in their respective pools.
In the final round of the day, in Pool A Waikato cemented their place in the semi-finals by beating Taranaki to go undefeated. Waikato will be joined in the semi-finals by Northland who defeated Otago. Pool B was taken out by the unbeaten Auckland wāhine, and Canterbury who produced a large win over Coastline.
Girls 18s semi-finals Sunday 31st March
Waikato v Canterbury – 10:00am Field 2
Auckland v Northland – 1o:00am Field 5
28 March 2024
New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is proud to announce the return of the National District 9s Tournament for 2024, following the event’s success in 2022 and 2023.
This year the National District 9s Tournament will be held at Auckland’s Bruce Pulman Park over two days of the Easter weekend, Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st of March. Pool games will take place on the 30th, with all semi-finals and finals set for the 31st.
The top eight qualifying district teams in each of the grades will compete in the tournament, which will collectively see 32 teams participating. All four grades (16s Boys, 16s Girls, 18s Boys, and 18s Girls) will be hotly contested throughout the weekend for champions to be crowned.
In 2023 Auckland prevailed in both the Boys and Girls 18s grades, whilst Wellington claimed the 16s Girls grade and Manawatu the 16s Boys grade.
Ten districts spanning the country will be represented at this year’s Nationals, namely; Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Coastline, Taranaki, Manawatu, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland.
This will be Coastline’s inaugural campaign in the tournament, entering teams in the 16s Boys and 18s Girls grades. Taranaki, Bay of Plenty, and Southland all return to the Nationals having last participated in 2022. Southland will field a 16s Girls team for the first time.
The National District 9s is one of the most significant events in the grassroots rugby league calendar, as David McMeeken National Football Operations Manager at NZRL says, “The National 9s Tournament is an effective entry point for rugby league, as it encourages participation and growth of the game at a district level throughout the country.”
The 9s format also fosters interest and development in the girl’s game across the country with Luisa Avaiki, Head of Women’s Rugby League at NZRL saying, “I’m excited that we can continue the momentum of this tournament. It’s a significant event in our calendar as it encourages girls from every district across New Zealand to have a go and get involved in rugby league.”
Visit Sporty for the Tournament draw, results and the Day 2 Draw will be updated regularly.
All Field 1 games will be broadcast on Sky Sport.
All Field 2 games will be live-streamed on the NZRL YouTube Channel.
April 10 2023
It was a dominant showing by Auckland in the 18s finals today as the 09 took home both Championship trophies in the Boys’ and Girls’ divisions.
It was a battle between North and South in the 18s Boys’ final, where Auckland faced up against long-time rivals Canterbury.
Canterbury dropped the ball straight from the kick-off, foreshadowing what would come in the boys’ final.
Auckland were clinical capitalising off the Canterbury error to score back-to-back tries but the 09’s discipline wavered, allowing Canterbury to mount their first points.
Auckland came out firing in the second half rolling 60 metres downfield to score their third try. Canterbury’s errors within their half continued to cost them as Auckland gained attacking momentum setting up their fourth four-pointer.
Auckland’s kick chase placed Canterbury’s fullback under pressure as the 09 would scoop up the loose ball to score, claiming the 18s Boys’ Championship with a 24-4 victory.
The Girls’ final shortly followed, and Auckland Red were switched on from the whistle; an effective kick-off forced an error, setting Red up for their first try of the final.
Some physical defensive sets by both sides kept the scoring at bay until late in the first half.
A line break and excellent support play by Auckland White earned them a try, equalising the score to 4-4 at halftime.
The second half saw Auckland Red come back firing, dominating possession and gameplay to score four unanswered tries.
Auckland Red claimed victory with a final score of 20-4 over Auckland White, making them the 2023 U18 9s National Champions.
10 April 2023
The third and final day of the NZRL National 9s Tournament kicked off with the 18s boys’ semi-final clash between the North and South.
Canterbury was first to put points on the board with a left edge overlap putting Ezekiel Petelo-Paulo over for their first four-pointer.
Costly Northland errors gifted Canterbury more attacking possession as the Cantabrians quickly answered back with another try and an eight-point leading heading into the break.
It was all the Southerners as they struck again seconds into the half off the back of another Northland error extending their lead.
Canterbury dotted down three consecutive tries with momentum on their side, but a late consolation try to Northland wasn’t enough as Canterbury advanced to the final with a 26-4 victory.
Auckland faced the Capital in the second boy’s semi-final shortly after.
With accurate kicking and excellent pace, a strong start by the Auckland side saw them head to the sheds with a 10-0 lead at halftime. Wellington fought hard to come back in the second half with two well-earned tries and a conversion, narrowly putting them ahead 12-10.
In a last-minute upset, Auckland utilised their swift right edge again to score and secure their place in the final with a 14-12 victory.
Auckland will face Canterbury in the 18s Boys final live at 1:30pm.
Top of the table Auckland White were first to mount points against Waikato in the first girls’ 18s semi-final.
A line break from Auckland saw centre Gillian Fa’aumu run 100m downfield to score Auckland’s second try moments after.
Waikato answered back with a lovely overlap on their right edge, scoring their first points of the day, and bringing the halftime deficit back to within one try.
Waikato put themselves back into good attacking position after barging runs from their middle forwards, but a costly error saw a try go begging. Auckland bounced back, going over their third shortly after shifting momentum back in their favour.
Waikato’s effort never wavered, getting themselves another four-pointer right before the final whistle; however it wasn’t to be as Auckland White head to the final with a 12-8 victory.
The second girls’ semi-final clash was a battle of the ’09 as Auckland Red and Blue faced off.
The match showcased great physicality and ball play between the two girls’ teams. However, it was Auckland Red that came out firing, scoring three unanswered tries within the first half. Following the break, Auckland Blue did well to score but were dominated by the Red side, who took the win 18-4, booking them a spot in the girls’ grand final.
Auckland will face off against one another in the National 18s Girl’s final at 2:00pm today.
Boys 18s FINAL Canterbury v Auckland 1:30pm
Girls 18s FINAL Auckland Red v Auckland White 2:00pm
09 April 2023
The NZRL National District 9s continued at Bruce Pulman Park today, with the U18s grade kicking off their tournament weekend.
Otago v Waikato After a close first half, the Waikato side pulled away in the second half, coming out on top 20-4.
Northland v Auckland A dominant Auckland red side showed their strength, keeping Northland off the board to take the win 16-0.
Canterbury v Waikato The Cantabrians opened the scoring, but Waikato matched them for every point. Both teams came to a draw 14-14.
Manawatu v Auckland A close game going try-for-try, with Auckland narrowly taking the win 10-8 over the Manawatu side.
Otago v Auckland Both sides were evenly matched and kept each other from crossing the try line, leaving the score at 0-0 full-time.
Auckland v Auckland A very physical match-up between the two Auckland sides. Auckland White was tenacious to win 20-6 over Auckland Blue.
Wellington v Canterbury An intense game between two strong teams, with the Wellingtonians coming out on top 8-0 at full-time.
Northland v Wellington The Northlanders did well to get ahead by halftime, with Wellington only a try behind. The momentum shifted in favour of Wellington, with their strong left edge sealing an 18-12 win.
Hauraki v Otago Some early errors from Hauraki put Otago just ahead by a try at halftime. The Hauraki team did well to come back and stay in the contest, drawing the game up at 12-12 full-time.
Manawatu v Waikato The Waikato boys played a dominant 18 minutes, claiming a 26-8 victory over Manawatu.
Canterbury v Auckland Canterbury 18s Boys had a strong performance against the Auckland Rugby League 18s. Canterbury completely outplayed the Auckland side, beating them easily 24 – 4.
Auckland Blue v Wellington The two sides constantly battled for 18 minutes, with Auckland just winning by a conversion. Final score 6-4 to Auckland Blue.
Auckland White v Canterbury A strong Auckland White team dispatched the Canterbury 18s girls with a dominant performance against the South Island team. Auckland White took the win 24 – 4.
Northland v Waikato The two teams battled try-for-try, with the Waikato girls eventually emerging as the victors, 16-10.
Hauraki v Wellington A strong Wellington side controlled possession and the game, finishing victorious with 22 points to Hauraki’s 4.
Northland v Otago The Northland 18s boys came into their next match searching for their first win in the tournament against the Otago 18s boys. Tries came quickly and fast for both teams, but Northland ultimately ran away with the match 22 – 4.
Waikato v Auckland Red Waikato 18s girls and Auckland Red girls came into the third round needing a win. The match-up was close, with nothing between either of the teams 6 – 6 at halftime. In the second half, Auckland Red kicked into high gear and ran away with the match 20 – 6.
Otago v Northland Northland displayed their skill and speed to dominate this game, scoring 26 points for a 26-6 full-time score over Otago.
Canterbury v Manawatu Canterbury 18s Boys came into their last match of the day against Manawatu 18s with confidence after winning their first two matches. The first half of the match was close, with Canterbury leading into halftime 12 – 4. Canterbury battled and kept their lead through the second half to take the win 16 – 8.
Auckland v Waikato The Auckland side played a physical game to produce a 20-4 win over Waikato, who did well to get points on the board.
Auckland White v Wellington The Auckland White 18s took on the Wellington 18s in a close matchup. Ultimately, the Auckland side took the win 10 – 8.
Canterbury v Auckland Blue There was nothing between Canterbury and Auckland Blue. After 18 minutes, the match ended with a draw 8-8.
Northern Swords v Hauraki After a close first half, the Northern Swords extended their lead over Hauraki to win 20 – 10.
Otago v Wellington Wellington had by far the most dominant performance of the day, taking the game with ease 0 – 38.
GIRLS 18s standings
POOL A
Auckland Red WRFL: Waikato RLN: Northland Otago Rugby League: Otago
POOL B
Auckland White Auckland Blue Wellington Rugby League Canterbury Rugby League
BOYS 18s standings
Wellington Rugby League Northern Swords Hauraki District RL Otago Rugby League
Canterbury Rugby League Auckland Rugby League Waikato Manawatu Rugby Football League
9 April 2023
Wellington played Northland in the Girls’ 16s Final, where the girls from the capital put on a dominant performance.
Looking to avenge their finals loss last year, Wellington came out firing drawing first blood. Costly errors kept Northland under pressure in the first half as Wellington went into the sheds with a 10-0 lead.
Wellington continued their momentum into the second half scoring two back-to-back tries. A last-ditch effort from the Northlanders wasn’t enough, as the Wellington Orcas were crowned U16s Girls’ Champions with a 20-6 win over Northland.
Canterbury took on tournament dark horse Manawatu in the Boys’ 16s final.
The Southern 9s Champions opened the scoring with a clever dummy half run as Ill-discipline would cost Manawatu.
Brilliant individual skill gave Canterbury their second; however, Manawatu found their groove as quick play the balls scored them their first points of the game.
Errors from Canterbury in their own half cost them as Manawatu scooped up a loose ball levelling the score right before half-time.
The second half was an arm wrestle with both sides tight on defence. However, Canterbury took their chances with a lovely cut-out pass, putting their winger over to gain the lead.
Manawatu, in a last-ditch effort pulled off a slick draw & pass evening the score at full-time.
The final quickly turned into a golden point match.
A costly error in Canterbury’s play the ball gave Manawatu possession 20 metres out from the Southerners’ line.
Manawatu would use this to snatch the title running over to claim the U16s 9s Championship 18-14.
The U16s playoffs kicked off day 2 of NZRL National 9s, where Wellington took on Auckland in the first girls’ semi-final.
It was all Wellington in the first half as the Capital managed to keep Auckland in their own forty, scoring two unanswered tries. The Capital kept their momentum in the second stint running away with a convincing 20-4 win booking them a spot in the girls’ final.
Canterbury then took on Northland in the second semi, where it was an even match-up between North and South with one try a piece heading into halftime.
But it was the Northlanders that came out firing in the second stint, scoring two back-to-back tries to book themselves a spot in the U16s girls’ final against Wellington with a 12-10 victory.
The boys’ playoffs followed shortly after, where Canterbury took on Otago in the first semi-final. The Cantabrians dominated, scoring four unanswered tries to book their spot in the final, 24-0.
Wellington then took on Manawatu in the second semi. A clever barge through the middle saw Wellington open up the scoring, but Manawatu answered back with four unanswered tries to win 24-6
Wellington will take on Northland in the Girls’ final at 1:30pm and Canterbury will face Manawatu in the Boys’ final at 2pm. Both games live on Sky Sport 4.
08 April 2023
The NZRL National District 9s kicked off at Bruce Pulman Park this Easter Saturday, with the U16s Girls’ grade beginning the tournament weekend.
Wellington earned their first tournament points with an 18-4 victory over Hawkes Bay. A North v South battle soon followed when Northland took on Otago, where an early kick-off error by Northland saw Otago open up the scoring. Northland promptly responded with three tries in the first half, claiming a 24-12 win over the Southerners.
The Otago Boys took on Coastline to kick off the U16s Boys’ tournament. A late comeback from Coastline wasn’t enough as the Southerners proved too strong, earning a 22-10 victory. Manawatu then showed a dominant 24 – 4 display over the Northlanders.
Girls’ U16s 2022 Champions Auckland took on Canterbury to kickstart their campaign. A close first half ended with Auckland narrowly leading at halftime. Reigning champions Canterbury came back with a show of dominance in the second half, scoring four unanswered tries to win the game 30-10.
A close encounter between Waikato and Manawatu girls soon followed, where a strong Manawatu right edge scored two early back-to-back tries. Waikato answered back, but a very close second half eventually saw Manawatu come out on top 12 points to 10.
A rematch of the 2022 Boys’ final saw reigning champions Canterbury take on runners-up Waikato. It was a tight affair, with nothing separating the teams at half-time; however, Canterbury picked up the pace in the second half, running away with it 12-4.
Wellington boys then took on Auckland boys in a tight encounter. The boys from the Captial had the upper hand keeping the 09 scoreless, 8-0. Wellington girls then kept the winning momentum for the black and yellow, with a dominant 24-4 display over Otago.
The Northland girls then showed up against Hawkes Bay, winning four tries to one; however, the Northland boys went down to Otago 12-4. The Manawatu men soon followed with an impressive 28-10 performance against Coastline.
After losing to Canterbury, the Auckland girls redeemed with a two-point victory over Waikato, while Manawatu upset reigning champs Canterbury with a 26-18 win.
Back to the boys’ grade, the Cantabrians got the win over Auckland three tries to one, while Wellington continued their dominance with a 22-4 victory over Waikato. In a tightly contested game, Wellington snatched victory over Northland girls 18-16, while Hawkes Bay ran away with a win over Otago 20-8.
Manawatu kept Otago scoreless in the Boy’s Pool with a 14-point victory before Northland ran away with a 34-24 win over Coastline.
Some great ball play by the Auckland girls saw them beat Manawatu 22-8 before Canterbury pipped Waikato at the post with a four-point victory in the final girls’ match of the day.
The boys continued Canterbury’s dominance beating Wellington 16-14 in what was a top-of-the-table clash before Auckland claimed a 22 to 8 victory over Waikato in what was the final match of Day 1.
Canterbury finished at the top of both Boys’ B and Girls’ B pools, with the Southerners stamping their mark on the U16s grade.
Manawatu had a strong showing in the Boys’ grade finishing top of Pool A, while Wellington took out Girl’s Pool B.
GIRLS 16s standings
Hawkes Bay
BOYS 16s standings
30 March 2023
New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is proud to announce that 2023 will see the much-awaited return of the National District 9s. This will be the second instalment of the National District 9s after the inaugural event’s success.
This year the National District 9s will be held at Bruce Pulman Park over the course of the Easter Weekend, with the 16s Boys and Girls competition being played on the 8th of April, the 18s Boys and Girls competition being played on the 9th of April and the finals of all four age group divisions culminating on the 10th of April.
Ten districts will be represented at the Nationals spanning Northland, Auckland, Coastline, Hauraki, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.
The top qualifying eight district teams (per age group) will compete in the National 9s Tournament. The National District 9s Tournament will collectively see 32 teams compete with a 16s Boys Champion, 16s Girls Champion, 18s Boys Champion and 18s Girls Champion, all crowned at the conclusion of the tournament.
The National District 9s is one of the most significant events in rugby league calendar as David McMeeken, National Football Operations Manager at NZRL, says: “The 9s format is a proven successful entry point for rugby league as it nurtures and grows the game at a district level.”
After a successful 2022 competition, districts will look to build momentum off the back of last season both in boys and girls’ age groups. One of the event’s initial intentions was to bring that competition back at a regional level while fostering and developing rangatahi talent throughout the country, something that was a proven success as many of the talent that played within last year’s competition went on to represent their districts in the girls and boys youth tournament held later that year.
The growth in interest and participation in the girls game across the country is something to note as formats like the 9s help enable to push the girls game. Luisa Avaiki, Head of Women’s Rugby League at NZRL, says: “I’m beyond delighted that we can continue this momentum. It’s a significant event in our calendar and one that encourages girls from every district across New Zealand to get involved and fall in love with rugby league.”
April 18 2022
Bruce Pulman Park played host to the U18 finals of the National District 9’s Competition on a windy day in the South of Auckland.
The National District 9’s final day kicked off with the seventh vs eighth playoff as Southland vs Canterbury kicked off a southern derby. In a tightly contested match, Southland’s three length of the field tries were not enough as they went down 16-12 in the day’s first game. Manawatu and Southland boys then took the field, with the contest going deep into golden point, where a late try in the left corner from Manawatu sealed the 16-12 victory.
Fifth vs sixth saw Waikato girls take on Auckland’s Glenora Bears. A fightback late was not enough for the Waikato side as Glenora won the match 18-10. Wellington then took on locals Manurewa Marlins as both teams traded blows during the half, with the scores at 4-4 going into the break. The Marlins took control of the second half, scoring two unanswered tries to win a comfortably, 12-4.
Otahuhu and Bay of Plenty girls played another scintillating golden point affair as both teams couldn’t be separated after 18 minutes. With only seconds remaining in golden point, quick thinking from the Bay of Plenty side saw them cross over and take the 14-10 win. Otahuhu boys went up against Waikato in their third vs fourth matchup as late tries from both teams saw another golden point thriller. Both teams went into the extra period on 18 points. When a 40-metre field-goal effort from Waikato excruciatingly hit the left upright, Otahuhu capitalised and took the game 22-18.
The first vs second finals kicked off as Auckland’s Howick Hornets faced off against the Wellington Orcas. Howick hit first to go up 4-0 early. Wellington, however, scored two consecutive tries off Howick’s mistakes to go into the half up 8-4. On the back of several penalties, Howick finally found a way through going over in the right corner to tie the game with under three minutes remaining. A late raid in the dying embers saw Wellington snatch the game at the death, winning 12-8 to capture the first U18s Girls National District 9’s title.
The boys saw Canterbury vs the Bay of Plenty after an early battle back and forth, Canterbury opened the scoring early and on the stroke as they took a convincing 8-0 lead into the break. The South Island side proved dominant, scoring three second-half tries to run out 20-0 winners and take home the U18s Boys National District 9’s trophy for 2022.
April 17 2022
The NZRL National District 9’s finals took place at Auckland’s Bruce Pulman Park.
The U16s Finals kicked off with the seventh vs eighth matchups as the Otago girls took a convincing 20-6 victory over their Waikato opponents. The boys then took the field, and after being down 8-0 at the half, Northland was able to pull out a 10-8 victory over Otago in the game’s dying embers.
The sixth vs fifth finals started with Taranaki girls putting on a convincing display as they scored three tries to one, winning 12-4 against the Bay of Plenty. Hauraki met Manawatu for the boys as the Manawatu team ran out 20-4 winners in a one-sided affair.
Canterbury and Northland started the third vs fourth rounds as a dominant Canterbury side took a 14-0 win. Marist and Wellington then met in an inspired contest, as Wellington stole the game at the death in a scintillating finish. A broken play resulting in a length of the field try to secure a 16-14 victory.
Wellington met Auckland’s Mangere Easts in the first vs second finals as both teams traded the lead early. Both teams traded blows as Wellington carried a 10-6 lead into the half. The Auckland side hit right back after half-time and added another late as they ran out as winners in the Inaugural U16’s Girls National Districts 9’s competition.
The boy’s final saw Canterbury and Waikato Mana battle it out, with Canterbury running out 14-4 winners. Canterbury captured the lead in a clinical display and never relinquished it as they took home the U16s Boys National District 9’s trophy.
02 June 2021
NZRL is pleased to announce an inaugural National District 9s Tournament will take place in early 2022 involving four age group divisions: 16s Boys, 16s Girls, 18s Boys and 18s Girls.
The National District 9s will entail three stages:
District Tournaments – Early 2022, the districts across New Zealand are invited to run 9s Tournaments for their clubs to enter, to which districts will then select teams for each applicable age group to enter the ‘Regional Tournaments.’
Regional Tournaments – Selected district teams will then battle it out at the Regional Qualifier Tournaments held throughout the country, managed by the zones and Auckland Rugby League (in Auckland), for a place in the National District 9s Tournament.
National District 9s Tournament – The top qualifying eight district teams (per age group) will compete in the National 9s Tournament in April 2022. The National District 9s Tournament will collectively see 32 teams compete with a 16s Boys Champion, 16s Girls Champion, 18s Boys Champion and 18s Girls Champion, all crowned at the conclusion of the tournament.
David McMeeken, National Football Operations Manager at NZRL, says: “The 9s format is a proven successful entry point for rugby league as it nurtures and grows the game at a district level.”
“Auckland Rugby League (ARL) is the only district in the country that offers a weekly competition in the girls’ space, to which they also accommodate two Waikato clubs in their competition. The ARL started with the 9s format to introduce the game and have seen evergrowing success since with seven U18s, 13 U16s and 12 U14s girls teams.
“The goal is to see other districts emulate this and build momentum and participation numbers in both boys’ and girls’ age groups. The new District 9s Tournament brings that competition back at a regional level while fostering and developing rangatahi talent throughout the country. It’s great for the game and an exciting addition to the football calendar.”
Luisa Avaiki, Head of Women’s Rugby League at NZRL, says: “There is significant and growing interest in the girls’ game across the country and it’s formats like the 9s that enable this.”
“We have 16 girls teams who have expressed interest to attend the inaugural NZRL National Secondary Schools Girl’s Tournament in August. A lot of this comes down to the mahi done by ARL and even New Zealand Māori Rugby League (NZMRL), who offer a platform for Kotiro to represent their people at the Rangatahi tournaments.
“I’m beyond delighted that we can now offer a National District 9s Tournament to continue this momentum. It’s a significant milestone and one that hopefully encourages girls from every district across New Zealand to get involved and fall in love with rugby league.”
NZRL will release further details on confirmed National District 9 Tournament dates and locations in due course.
