Eight rugby league teams will fight it out this weekend for the rights to hoist the first annual Armidale Ex-Services Nines Competition trophy aloft.
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The competition is to be hosted by the Armidale Rams at Rugby League Park tomorrow.
The Rams will be joined by the Redfern All Blacks, Cobar, West Tamworth, Port Macquarie City, Guyra, Ashford and the Moree Boomerangs.
One of Armidale’s finest rugby league exports, Dean Widders, will suit up for the All Blacks.
Armidale Rams President Terry Carson said eight was the perfect number of teams for the competition to run smoothly.
“We are pretty happy with that amount,” he said.
“If it was any bigger we would have had to use two fields.”
The first game kicks off at 10am, with the grand final to be staged at 5.30pm.
The nines rugby league format has taken off in recent years with the success of the NRL Auckland Nines competition in its first two years.
All games tomorrow will made up of two nine minute halves, with the same scoring system as normal rugby league with the exception of dropkicks replacing normal conversions.
Carson said after travelling to various other pre-season competitions in recent years, the club decided it was time to stage one of their own.
“We were always going off to different events, so we thought we would have a crack ourselves,” he said.
The Rams have named a strong squad with captain-coach Clarrie Moran to lead the side.
English imports Jordan Wakefield and Kenny Land will also make their debuts for the club.
Carson said the All Blacks will enter the competition as the side to beat.
“The All Blacks have to be favourites,” he said.
“The Rangs will be strong as well.”
In the other showpiece event of the day, the Armidale Rams women’s side will tackle the All Blacks women in three games throughout the day.
