Rugby league nines (or simply
nines) is a version of
rugby league football played with nine players on each side. The game is substantially the same as full rugby league, with some differences in
rules and shorter games. Nines is usually played in festivals, as its shorter game play allows for a tournament to be completed in a day or over a single weekend. It has become more popular than the similar
rugby league sevens (rugby league with seven players to a side), with many tournaments using nines to distinguish it from
rugby union sevens.