February 11, 1997: Nines v Sevens
On this day 25 years ago, I wrote a feature comparing Super League's World Nines and the ARL's World Sevens.
Before we get into today’s clipping, in which I compared the Nines and Sevens as events, I want to share some exciting news.
Troy Campbell, the man if the series at the 1997 Sevens, is a fella I’ve known for a long time and we also share some friends from the intervening period - via our partners.
He’s going to come on and do an interactive podcast early next week. So get your questions ready!
Today 25 years ago, the main story in the paper was about Canberra’s Jason Croker breaking an arm in the Raiders’ 26-24 trial loss to Penrith in Suva.
WORLDS APART
Sydney Morning Herald, Monday February 10 1997
'CHALK and cheese" - that was the consensus of those who have witnessed at first hand league's big pre-season double in Townsville and Sydney over the past 10 days.
With their respective summer tournaments Super League's World Nines in Townsville last weekend and the Australian Rugby League's Sevens in Sydney yesterday and Saturday, the rival organisations have begun a nine-month war for the hearts and minds of Australian sports fans.
Contrasts between the two events neatly summed up the philosophies of the rival leagues.
The Nines event was a semi-serious three days of international football, with highly- paid entertainment and a tropical location.
The $270,000 Sevens had few ambitions other than to provide two days out at the footy with a pie, a beer and your favourite club to cheer for.
No-one seemed to miss the Broncos or the Raiders. Many of the international teams were drawn "from all over Sydney" and booing Manly remained one of Sydney's most popular pastimes.
So there you have it: no comparison.
But as rival league bosses Neil Whittaker and John Ribot will have to endure comparisons all year anyway, now seems as good a time as any to start (with ratings for the Sevens performance).
CONCEPT
There's a major philosophical difference. On one hand, Super League entered an Australian team in the Nines on the premise that you can't have a serious international event when teams called Penrith and Cronulla are in it. Sevens promoter Colin Love, on the other hand, says spectators want to see their favourite teams and you should give them what they want. The Sevens is, in short, fun. Maybe the Tongan team is from two villages and many of the Italy and Lebanon players have never been to those countries but no-one seems to care. The Nines is a good innovation for the game but it would be sad to lose the Sevens.
Score: 4 out of 5.
ENTERTAINMENT
Super League flew in Christine Anu and a singer from Spain for the three-day World Nines and they even poached the ARL's highly- respected Can Can girls. On the other hand, Sevens promoters were content for a sprint race to fill its break in play on day two, while on day one fans watched an extended video tribute to former Test winger Eric Grothe. To be fair, Super League had to honour its glitz and glamour credo on its first Australian outing, while it's doubtful Love would have attracted one extra spectator by going to similar expense.
Score: 1.
CROWDS
The ARL's crowds of 14,445 and about 16,000 provide the greatest support to its argument that it doesn't really need Brisbane, Canberra, Great Britain and New Zealand anyway. Those figures were only marginally down on last year and easily outstripped the disappointing attendances averaging about 11,00 at Stockland Stadium the week before. There's little doubt that for attracting spectators, club sides and cheap tickets are the way to go.
Score: 3.
NEW TOYS
The only new toy on show at the weekend was the ARL's version of the video referee. And it worked because it was hardly used. At the Nines, referees called for the fourth official, by tracing the outline of a television screen, almost at the drop of a hat and there was one well-publicised error. At the Sevens, by yesterday afternoon the facility had been used just three or four times. Even though the referees were a bit confused about the shape of a television and seem to be starring in an ABC television promo when they called for an adjudication, video judge Michael Stone got it right each time. And the ARL's system of simply flashing a red or green light seems to allow less room for error than Super League's flashy video screen.
Score: 5.
VENUE
In 1995, the Sevens left Sydney for the first time when day one was staged at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, attracting 17,189 spectators. When the Super League war began and the Nines was awarded to Suva, Love declared his tournament would never leave Australia. Despite kicking off at Parramatta Stadium 10 years ago and playing there as recently as 1996, the Sydney Football Stadium has established itself as the tournament's spiritual home. Sydney fans may snub inner-city clubs but the Sevens at the SFS has become an institution.
Score: 4.
ORGANISATION
After a decade at it, you'd expect Love's company to be pretty good at running a weekend of football and it is. Referee David Manson leaving Newcastle and Sydney City players waiting for his arrival on the field for half a minute yesterday was about the only hitch all weekend. Teams entered the arena immediately others left, temporary and permanent dressing-rooms around Moore Park housed players on a roster system. The match program made it easier to follow the progress of the tournament. You could get into the Sevens for as little as $8, compared with $30 in Townsville.
Score: 5.
FOOTBALL
Every person you met in Townsville was willing to tell you that the Nines was more like real rugby league and Sevens was boring. A weekend of watching it indicated otherwise. Sevens is a lot of things - fast, points-laden and even a tad repetitive. But few who attended the SFS would call it boring. If the 13-a-side game is a three-course meal, Nines is a snack and Sevens a dessert. In Nines, you don't see Americans running through the in-goal area and over the dead-ball line to score without putting the ball down. You don't see Japan making one tackle in a whole game or players swerving and goose-stepping past their own teammates. Having said that, even some of the top Australian teams were responsible for some appalling defence. Often it seemed more of an achievement to hold the opponents out or force a mistake than to score a spectacular try.
Score: 4.
VERDICT
Comparisons between the Nines and Sevens, like those between the ARL and Super League, are inappropriate for one main reason: there is little doubt there will be one competition in 1998. How the spoils are divided will have little to do with rule changes, playing talent, promotion and entertainment. Corporate concerns will settle league's war, regardless of how each side fares this year. Organisers of both tournaments privately admit something very different to each may well emerge from compromise. So, fasten your seatbelts for the World Eights in Rockhampton.
GAMES
Challenge Cup round four (February 9):
Paris Saint-Germaine 38 Batley 4 at Mount Pleasant
Carlisle 62 Dudley Hill 2 at Carlisle Park
Salford 36 Castleford 18 at Wheldon Road