The NRL’s Dick Smith Nines will kick off tonight at 11.30pm GMT in Auckland – the second successive year that the Nines competition has effectively opened the NRL season.
All 16 NRL clubs will take part, although some clubs will not play some of their star players, with last year’s winners North Queensland Cowboys again excluding their captain Johnathan Thurston, and newly appointed South Sydney captain Greg Inglis also being left out of the Rabbitohs’ squad.
The teams will be split into four pools, with Parramatta and Manly due to open proceedings this evening. The whole tournament will be broadcast live on Premier Sports TV.
During the tournament there will also be a three-match Nines series between the women of New Zealand and Australia.
The match schedule is as follows.
RANGITOTO POOL
Teams: Knights, Dragons, Eels, Sea Eagles
Schedule
Eels v Sea Eagles (Friday, 11.30pm GMT)
Knights v Dragons (Friday, 11.55pm GMT)
Eels v Knights (Saturday, 3.25am GMT)
Sea Eagles v Dragons (Saturday, 3.50am GMT)
Eels v Dragons (Saturday, 10.10pm GMT)
Sea Eagles v Knights (Saturday, 10.35pm GMT)
WAIHEKE POOL
Teams: Panthers, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Storm
Schedule
Storm v Cowboys (Saturday, 12.20am GMT)
Panthers v Rabbitohs (Saturday, 12.45am GMT)
Storm v Panthers (Saturday, 4.15am GMT)
Cowboys v Rabbitohs (Saturday, 4.40am GMT)
Storm v Rabbitohs (Saturday, 11pm GMT)
Cowboys v Panthers (Saturday, 11.25pm GMT)
HUNUA POOL
Teams: Raiders, Warriors, Tigers, Titans
Schedule
Tigers v Raiders (Saturday, 1.20am GMT)
Titans v Warriors (Saturday, 1.45am GMT)
Tigers v Titans (Saturday, 5.15am GMT)
Raiders v Warriors (Saturday, 5.40am GMT)
Tigers v Warriors (Saturday, 11.50pm GMT)
Raiders v Titans (Sunday, 12.15am GMT)
PIHA POOL
Teams: Broncos, Bulldogs, Sharks, Roosters
Schedule
Roosters v Broncos (Saturday, 2.15am GMT)
Bulldogs v Sharks (Saturday, 2.40am GMT)
Roosters v Bulldogs (Saturday, 6.05am GMT)
Broncos v Sharks (Saturday, 6.30am GMT)
Roosters v Sharks (Sunday, 12.40am GMT)
Broncos v Bulldogs (Sunday, 1.05am GMT)
WOMEN’S POOL
Schedule
Game 1: NZ v Australia (Saturday, 3am GMT)
Game 2: NZ v Australia (Sunday, 3.35am GMT)
Game 3: NZ v Australia (Sunday, 5.40am GMT)
QUARTER FINALS
Schedule
QF1: 1st Rangitoto v 2nd Waiheke (Sunday, 1.30am GMT)
QF2: 2nd Rangitoto v 1st Waiheke (Sunday, 1.55am GMT)
QF3: 1st Hunua v 2nd Piha (Sunday, 2.45am GMT)
QF4: 2nd Hunua v 1st Piha (Sunday, 3.10am GMT)
SEMI FINALS
Schedule
SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF2 (Sunday, 4.25am GMT)
SF2: Winner QF3 v Winner QF4 (Sunday, 4.50am GMT)
FINAL
Tournament Final (Sunday, 6.30am GMT)
NINES SQUADS
BRONCOS: Andrew McCullough (captain), Ajuma Adams, Elijah Alick, Joe Boyce, Greg Eden, James Gavet, Alex Glenn, Todd Lowrie, Lachlan Maranta, Anthony Milford, Francis Molo, Darren Nicholls, Jayden Nikorima, Kodi Nikorima, Joe Ofahengaue, Tom Opacic, Matt Parcell, Aaron Whitchurch.
RAIDERS: Sam Williams, Mitch Cornish, Jarrod Croker(c), Lachlan Croker, Sisa Waqa, Joel Edwards, Josh McCrone, Rhys Kennedy, Glen Buttriss, Brenko Lee, Bill Tupou, Jack Ahearn, Luke Bateman, Haydon Hodge, Mark Nicholls, Kyle O’Donnell, Tevita PangaiJnr, Ken Nagas.
BULLDOGS: Tim Browne, Damien Cook, Levi Dodd, Adam Elliott, Herman Ese’ese, Antonio Kaufusi, Shaun Lane, Michael Lichaa, Moses Mbye, Josh Morris, Sam Perrett, Lloyd Perrett, Tyrone Phillips, Frank Pritchard, Curtis Rona, Corey Thompson, Aiden Tolman, Tony Williams.
SHARKS: Wade Graham (c), Valentine Holmes, Sosaia Feki, Gerard Beale, Ricky Leutele, Jack Bird, Nu Brown, Kyle Stanley, Sam Tagataese, Pat Politoni, Tinirau Arona, Matt Prior, Chris Heighington, Blake Ayshford, Nathan Gardner, Todd Murphy, Sami Sauiluma, Junior Roqica.
TITANS: Will Zillman (c), James Roberts, Anthony Don, David Mead, Josh Hoffman, Brad Tighe, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Aidan Sezer, Daniel Mortimer, Christian Hazard, Kierran Moseley, Ryan James, Mark Ioane, Matthew White, Lachlan Burr, Kane Elgey, Dave Taylor, Matt Robinson.
SEA EAGLES: Daly Cherry-Evans (c), Manaia Rudolph, Jayden Hodges, Brayden Wiliame, Tony Satini, Kieran Foran, Clinton Gutherson, Tom Trbojevic, Peta Hiku, Tom Symonds, Cheyse Blair, James Hasson, Feleti Mateo, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Josh Starling, Michael Chee Kam, Blake Leary, Dunamis Lui.
STORM: Young Tonumaipea, Kenny Bromwich, Will Chambers (c), Kurt Mann, Richie Kennar, Dayne Weston, Cameron Munster, Hymel Hunt, Tohu Harris, Marika Koroibete, Travis Robinson, Christian Welch, Ben Hampton, Billy Brittain, Francis Tualau, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Suliasi Vunivalu, Shaun Nona.
KNIGHTS: Sione Mata’utia, Jake Mamo, Dane Gagai, Chanel Mata’utia, Carlos Tuimavave, Jarrod Mullen (c), Tyrone Roberts, Pat Mata’utia, Adam Clydsdale, Paterika Vaivai, Tyler Randell, Chris Houston, Robbie Rochow, Nathan Ross, Korbin Sims, Joseph Tapine, Jack Stockwell, Danny Levi.
COWBOYS: Michael Morgan, Justin O’Neill, Tautau Moga, Kyle Feldt, Matthew Wright, Ray Thompson, Robert Lui, John Asiata, Rory Kostjasyn, Kelepi Tanginoa, Gavin Cooper (c), Ethan Lowe, Jason Taumalolo, Jake Granville, Zac Santo, Coen Hess, Javid Bowen, Ben Spina.
EELS: Buerita Faraimo, Semi Radradra, John Folau, Brad Takairangi, Reece Robinson, Corey Norman, Chris Sandow (c), Junior Paulo, Kaysa Pritchard, Peni Terepo, Manu Ma’u, Tepai Moeroa, Joseph Paulo, David Gower, Kenny Edwards, Halauafu Lavaka, Pauli Pauli, Luke Kelly.
PANTHERS: Brendan Attwood, Christian Crichton, Joshua Jay, Isaac John, Apisai Koroisau, Kieran Moss, Andy Aunders, Nathan Smith, Tupou Sopoaga, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Adrian Davis, George Jennings, Kevin Kingston, Sika Manu, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Chris Smith, Will Smith, Isaah Yeo.
RABBITOHS: Joel Reddy, Bryson Goodwin, Dylan Walker, Matt King, Chris McQueen, Issac Luke (c), Adam Reynolds, George Burgess, Angus Crichton, Ben Lowe, Jason Clark, Tom Hughes, Dave Tyrrell, Aaron Gray, Kyle Turner, Cameron McInnes, Chris Grevsmuhl, Setefano Taukafa.
DRAGONS: Euan Aitken, Mike Cooper, Shannon Crook, Josh Dugan, Tyson Frizell, Craig Garvey, Nathan Green, Yaw Kiti Glymin, Beau Henry, Dan Hunt, Benji Marshall (c), Peter Mata’utia, Will Matthews, Eto Nabuli, Jason Nightingale, Heath L’Estrange, Joel Thompson, Shannon Wakeman.
ROOSTERS: Mitchell Aubusson, Brendan Elliot, Kane Evans, Jackson Hastings, Samisoni Langi, Nene Macdonald, James Maloney, Willie Manu, Sam Moa, Taane Milne, Dylan Napa, Mitchell Pearce (c), Lagi Setu, Nathan Stapleton, Siosiua Taukeiaho, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (c), Mitchell Williams.
WARRIORS: Shaun Johnson (c), Matthew Allwood, Nathan Friend, Ben Henry, Ryan Hoffman, Solomone Kata, Ngani Laumape, Sam Lisone, Tuimoala Lolohea, Sione Lousi, Suaia Matagi, Ben Matulino, Ken Maumalo, Nathaniel Roache, Bodene Thompson, Sam Tomkins, Chad Townsend, Manu Vatuvei.
WESTS TIGERS: Sitaleki Akauola, Nathan Brown, Jack Buchanan, Manaia Cherrington, Josh Drinkwater, Asipeli Fine, Salesi Funaki, Delouise Hoeter, Chris Lawrence, Lamar Liolevave, Kyle Lovett, Joel Luani, Kevin Naiqama, Pat Richards, Brenden Santi, Ava Seumanufagai, Tim Simona, Sauaso Sue.
