The 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s was the first staging of the Rugby League World Cup 9s tournament and took place on 18 and 19 October 2019 at Sydney's Bankwest Stadium. The tournament featured teams from 12 International Rugby League member countries, 4 of which also fielded teams in the women's tournament. In the men's final, Australia defeated New Zealand, while in the women's final, New Zealand defeated Australia.
Rule variations The standard rules of rugby league applied but with the following variations: games are nine-a-side with unlimited interchanges in the 13-strong squad each half is nine minutes with a 2-minute half time the tackle count for the team in possession is five rather than six any player sin-binned is off the field for only three minutes the 40/20 rule is supplemented by a 20/40 rule i.e. a kick from behind the player's own 20m line which after bouncing goes into touch past the opponent's 40m line will result in the kicking team retaining possession with a tap-restart Bonus zone tries - tries score four points as normal but the value of the try will be increased to five for a try scored in the area between the goalposts all conversions are drop kicks rather than place kicks and a 25-second shot clock will apply a game which goes to extra time will be decided by golden try extra time
Teams
The competing teams were hand picked, and the selections were announced on 22 April 2019.
On 27 September 2019, the Tonga National Rugby League were suspended by the International Rugby League (IRL), pending an investigation into their board. Tonga were represented at the tournament by a "Tonga Invitatonal" team.
Men's TeamCaptainCoachDaly Cherry-Evans & Wade Graham Mal Meninga1Alex Glenn Tony Iro28James Graham Wayne Bennett2Kevin Naiqama Brandon Costin5Jason Baitieri Aurélien Cologni6Reece Robinson Rick Stone9Shaun Johnson Michael Maguire3Rhyse Martin Michael Marum10Joseph Leilua Matt Parish7 Tonga InvitationalJason Taumalolo David Tangata-Toa4Mark Offerdahl Sean Rutgerson15Elliot Kear John Kear11
Women's TeamCaptainCoachAli Brigginshaw Brad Donald1Emily Rudge Craig Richards3Honey Hireme Justin Morgan2Janet Johns Bagelo Solien6
Match Officials The NRL named the following 18 NRL match officials to handle the 28 matches. Grant Atkins Tyson Brough Matt Cecchin Ben Cummins Darian Furner Adam Gee Peter Gough Phil Henderson Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski Belinda Sharpe Todd Smith Jon Stone Chris Sutton Gerard Sutton Chris Kendall Stephane Vincent Henry Perenara Paki Parkinson
Venue Sydney Bankwest Stadium Capacity: 30,000
Men's tournament
Pool stage The pools were announced on 22 July 2019. The draw was announced on 4 August 2019. Pool APool BPool C
Pool A
18 October 201925 – 1218 October 201927 – 1019 October 201918 – 1719 October 201941 – 1119 October 201946 – 019 October 201926 – 0
Pool B
18 October 20198 – 1218 October 201925 – 419 October 201923 – 619 October 201913 – 1619 October 201914 – 2519 October 201938 – 4
Pool C
18 October 20197 – 3018 October 201932 – 1719 October 201917 – 419 October 201921 – 1719 October 201910 – 1219 October 201920 – 24
Knockout stage
Semi-finals New Zealand vs England
Australia vs Samoa
Final: Australia v New Zealand
Women's tournament
Pool stage The draw was announced on 4 August 2019. Pool A Australia England New Zealand Papua New Guinea
18 October 2019England 25 – 418 October 2019Australia 22 – 819 October 2019New Zealand 24 – 1219 October 2019Australia 42 – 419 October 2019Australia 30 – 619 October 2019New Zealand 33 – 4
Final: Australia v New Zealand
Try scorers Men's 7 Jamayne Isaako
5 Ken Maumalo
4
Josh Addo-Carr Kyle Feldt Mitchell Moses
3
Robert Jennings Sione Katoa Bilal Maarbani Marion Seve Reimis Smith Maika Tudravu
2
Dean Blore AJ Brimson Nathan Brown Mike Butt Jake Connor David Fifita Edene Gebbie Anthony Gelling Campbell Graham Ash Handley Kayal Iro Shaun Johnson Elliot Kear Moses Leota Danny Levi Gavin Marguerite Jermaine McGillvary Travis Robinson Bailey Simonsson Sam Tomkins Brian To'o
1
Stargroth Amean Tevin Arona Jai Arrow Blake Austin Lambert Belmas Watson Boas Ryan Burroughs Daly Cherry-Evans Daryl Clark Alrix Da Costa William Fakatoumafi Bureta Faraimo Kristian Freed Tyson Frizell Regan Grace Clinton Gutherson Ryan Hall Tim Lafai Thomas Lasvenes Joseva Lawalawa Kyle Laybutt Penaia Leveleve Garry Lo Jarome Luai Paul Marcon Jeremy Marshall-King Steven Marsters Kevin Naiqama Tesi Niu David Nofoaluma Justin Olam Tevita Pangai Junior Ryan Papenhuyzen Kalyn Ponga John Puna Nixon Putt Selestino Ravutaumada Reubenn Rennie Reece Robinson Arthur Romano Dan Russell Ligi Sao Maika Sivo Ryan Sutton Brody Tamarua Charbel Tasipale Aaron Teroi Junior Vaivai Malakai Watene-Zelezniak Lloyd White Elliott Whitehead Gareth Widdop
Women's 5 Tiana Penitani
4 Honey Hireme Corban McGregor
3 Jules Newman
2
Ali Brigginshaw Isabelle Kelly Rhiannon Marshall Nita Maynard Raecene McGregor Ua Ravu Krystal Rota Kiana Takairangi Shakiah Tungai
1
Elsie Albert Kezie Apps Caitlin Beevers Leah Burke Keeley Davis Amy Hardcastle Janet Johns Kanyon Paul Julia Robinson Emily Rudge Jessica Sergis Hannah Southwell Atawhai Tupaea Georgia Wilson
Controversy On 19 October 2019, Lebanon's Jacob Kiraz and Jordan Samrani and Papua New Guinea women's players Sera Koroi and Joyce Waula were all suspended from the tournament for being under the age of 18.
While the International Rugby League allows players 16 or older to play in Test matches, the National Rugby League (who ran the tournament) rules require that players must be 18 or older.
Kiraz, who would not turn 18 until November 2019, was the only one of the four to play a game, coming off the bench in Lebanon's 12–8 win over France. Lebanon were stripped of the two competition points earned for their win as a result.
Media coverage Country or regionBroadcasterBroadcastingFox SportsAll 28 matches live (via Fox League or streamed on Kayo Sports)NRL Live PassAll 28 matches live streamed BrazilWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamedWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamed ChinaWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamed Cook IslandsDigicelAll 28 matches liveOVOPlayAll 28 matches live streamed GermanyWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamed FijiDigicelAll 28 matches liveFiji FBCAll 28 matches live streamedOVOPlayAll 28 matches live streamedOVOPlayAll 28 matches live streamedWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamed IrelandSky SportsAll 28 matches liveWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamedWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamed LebanonOVOPlayAll 28 matches live streamedWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamedSky (New Zealand)All 28 matches liveDigicelAll 28 matches liveOVOPlayAll 28 matches live streamed SamoaDigicelAll 28 matches liveOVOPlayAll 28 matches live streamedWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamed TongaDigicelAll 28 matches liveOVOPlayAll 28 matches live streamedSky SportsAll 28 matches liveWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamedOVOPlayAll 28 matches live streamedWatch NRLAll 28 matches live streamed
References