More league boys applying for Rio Sevens.

Stuff NZ

On the front of it all, next year's inaugural NRL Auckland Nines looks like the ultimate stepping stone for star Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson.

A shortened version of league, combining the free-running style of rugby sevens with the 13-man game that he excels in.

Give it a go, see how it feels and then - maybe give Titch a bell about pulling on the Silver Fern as part of the sevens team at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Johnson, who is off contract with the Warriors at the end of next season, has been at the centre of rumours about a shift to sevens before - including last August when things around Mt Smart Stadium were falling to bits due to the club's poor season.

Preliminary talks with New Zealand Sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens were held since, though nothing has been set in action yet.

Though Johnson, who grew up playing touch rugby in Whangaparaoa, declined to get drawn into talk about his future in whichever code beyond the end of next season, he revealed rugby sevens was still very much on his radar.

"All that talk about the sevens, initially, was rubbish really," Johnson told Fairfax Media.

"I like in this nines idea, I love seeing open space. I still love the game of sevens - and that's not going to change that we've got a tournament here now."

It has been suggested that the likes of former All Black and Roosters superstar Sonny Bill Williams and Blues-bound former Kiwis captain Benji Marshall could be in line for the 2016 Rio team.

The details of the NRL Auckland Nines was announced at Eden Park yesterday as promoters Duco Events and Auckland Council unveiled a five-year deal to hold it in Auckland, starting next February.

The two-day tournament will feature teams from all 16 NRL clubs, with rules in place to ensure clubs release at least one of their top five contracted players for the matches.

"There are so many kids in New Zealand that grow up playing touch, that turn into league players, but don't have the physicality to play the 13-a-side game," Johnson said.

"Something like this, where you have a lot of open space, I can see it really take off."

Warriors coach Matt Elliott said he would likely use at least two of the first-grade side's top five players in the tournament, and saw it as a great "blooding" opportunity for youngsters at the club.

"I don't think we'll be over-exposing too many guys but also you've got to pick players that you think might excel in it," he said.

"Add in there a few young players who we think might be stars in the future, and it gives them a taste of NRL footy."

Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah said his club would be under pressure to perform in front of a home crowd, hoped to be 96,000 over two days.

"Sixteen clubs aren't going to turn up and want to perform poorly, because ultimately it's going to be momentum going into the regular season," he said.

"We've got a great squad next year and we've got to manage the World Cup players coming back, but that aside, we're going to have a pretty decent squad to pick from."

man i love shaun johsons style of playm IMO cooper cronk has the better all round game, but if forced to choose between the two, i would pick johnson easy.

i reckon shaun johnson would be a great 7s player, wouldnt surprise me if he becomes one of the best, i saw him playing touch and it was hard trying to stop him there, so imagine what it would be like if he had more room to move and just touching him dosent mean anything.

as for this whole rugby league 9s thingymajig, i reckon its a waste of time. NRL know just how successful the 7s game has been and are looking to emulate that on some level.
they have the man power to do it too, but to scrap the indigenous vs all stars game for the 9s was meh, not looking forward to the 9s at all for some reason.

and wasnt the 9s game tried out before in the past, i think on an international level???

bro the aussies can still have their all stars game can't they?

NZ has the rights to this for a number of years so nothing to do with them except we're using all their players.LOL

$2.5 million in prize money is nothing to be sneezed at either. Good for the economy and promoting the game in NZ so it's a win win.

League is coming along in leaps and bounds in NZ with i hear 30% of Kiwis making up the NRL.

Lets see how it goes first i reckon and player interest is high i hear as they get to miss out on some of that brutal preseason training

@steiny,

i heard that the all stars game was scrapped to make room for the 9s, when i heard about the auckland 9s i just assumed that was the 9s toruny the NRL had in mind, will have to double check.

league has always been strong in NZ most of us played both codes growing up and if it wasnt for union we would be a consistent powerhouse like australia has been.
so im not surprised about the league numbers, i mean we even NZ born players playing in their state of origin teams and kangaroos, but at least we have been reciprocated in that player exchange, unlike in union where all the ARU do is take take take.from NZ.

got a good feeling about the RLWC, all we need to do is make the finals and then who knows.

Yeah it's the NRL tourny but we have hosting rights for 5 years.

Can't see why they can't still play their indigenous game though as scrapping it instead of postponing or rescheduling would be a lame excuse to get rid of it IMO. 

No reason why we can't win the WC again like you say. Would have preferred to see Hayne play for Fiji again though.

The gaps closed up between OZ and NZ and the poms are also an unknown quantity but not long to wait now before it all kicks off. Hope Benji is still available too.

@redsneck,

the reality is NZ will always be 2nd best to australia when it comes to league, but thats ok, cos union is No1.

but when u look at these numbers,,,
registered rugby league players in
NZ - 24,000 total
NZ- 3,500 adult

OZ - 466,182 total
OZ - 51,540 adult

and then u look at whose the RLWC champions, one cant help but hear the strong kiwi accent in that laughter.
it must have killed u to see the kanagroos get beaten by the kiwis, :oP
i know it almost killed lockyear, having to retire while the RLWC trophy is in NZ getting T bagged like crazy, :oP

but the reality is we always be 2nd best to the kangaroos, but we are making great head way, better then what the wallys are doing in union, so if we can win the occassional battle that counts like the RLWC and the 2010 4nats, thats a big pass mark when u look at the number of people who actually play league in NZ.

and those burgess boys are real monsters all right, luckily for them aussies crapped their pants and banned the shoulder charge the same year that SBW returned to league, cant blame the aussies for being dumb, even if they are a little yellow, :oP
but im not worried about them at all, NH cant do jack till they combine all thier puny nations into one big giant voltron force like great britain, and great britain dosent play in the RLWC.
and while they need combined forces to be a force to be reckoned with, NZ are turning into a real league powerforce, made even more so by the latest elgibilty laws that have been implemented regarding SOR.

only a matter of time before the kiwis hit a golden age like the wallys did when the brumbies were dangerous and then BOOMFA, :oP

The World Champion title we possess is the one you want to aim for though Red.

Looks like you've got the Burgess boys to contend with yourselves first up if they're such a threat.Not even in our pool drongo.

Then after England the Fijians will be causing a few injury problemsfor Australia with their unorthodox tackling styles.

Jarred Hayne will be targeted especially given he played for Fiji. They will smash him.

Our pool looks pretty easy so guess we'll see you in the final Red where last time if you remember Australia CHOKED..

@redsneck,

yes its no comeptiton, thats why NZ are the RLWC champions and austalia are not, o_O


and OMG, trannybot on futurama wants to ask u a question,,,,
"why u so stupid, stupid"

trannybot is reffering to the fact that stephen kearny was the coach of the kiwis, :oP

and billy slater threw the ball away cos he was bored???? thats the aussie spirit right there, bunch of convict quitters, no wonder theyre shit at every sport.

Bull shit Redsman Steven Kearney is the coach . Nice try but your name dropping does'nt impress anyone.

Face it Australia has to win for the sake of national pride after recently choking at the cricket , choking against the Lions, choking at the Bledisloe cup, choking at the SuperXV ,choking at the tennis, choking at the Olympics....

 Really looking like a nation of chokers....

Trouble is Redsman you're never gunna except our superiority no matter where we win . Some ref will have cheated you losers again as is always the case with you....