The Warriors revelled in the perfect conditions at Dunedin's covered stadium to thump the Broncos 48-4 today.

The Auckland Nines, regarded as a huge success, may also have an important benefit for the Warriors - it should help with the signing Australian players to the club.

His name - and game - is still a mystery to most Warriors fans but Chad Townsend is set to become a lot more familiar over the coming weeks.

They have legions of fans around the country but a couple of Shortland Street stars drew a few more admirers at the NRL Auckland Nines to The Diary's corporate box.

The New Zealand Rugby League and their Australian counterparts are expecting to find out today whether they will host the 2017 World Cup.

The Warriors are very much in NRL mode after the diversion of the Auckland Nines and will field a team as close to their best as possible in Sunday's pre-season match against the Broncos.

The Auckland NRL Nines tournament is here to stay, after the weekend event smashed targets for ticket sales and visitor numbers.

The Auckland NRL Nines could take place on a Friday and Saturday next year because of a venue clash with the Cricket World Cup.

Sam Burgess' NRL career appears set to end after the 2014 season, with South Sydney poised to accept an offer of over $900,000 from English rugby side Bath to release him early.

City leaders are breathing a sigh of relief after Auckland made it through what has been described as one of its "greatest weekends".

They came in the thousands, some from as far as America, others from the South Island and Wellington, in costumes ranging from Osama bin Laden, Superman to Alice in Wonderland.

It was billed as The Greatest Weekend and the Auckland Nines came close to delivering on that promise.

Warriors skipper judged MVP but regretful after local favourites let slip golden opportunity at Auckland Nines.

The North Queensland Cowboys have beaten the Brisbane Broncos 16-7 to win the first NRL Auckland Nines rugby league tournament.

The Warriors are on the march - and the Nines look here to stay.

Today in Auckland - tomorrow in Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne?

Rugby league authorities will combat the use of sleeping pills and energy drinks by players by including it in drug tests and possibly in codes of conduct.

This is the weekend when the new Eden Park should come of age.

Apart from those first up, teams will be watching and learning right up to kick-off

If ever we needed reminding that there has been a change of guard at the Sharks, it was confirmed when new coach Jake White picked Ryan Kankowski to start at No 8 against the Bulls.

Hundreds of rugby league fans gathered at Auckland's Aotea Square today to welcome their favourite teams ahead of this weekend's Nines tournament.

A number of the most recognisable players in league will bypass the weekend or have been told to bypass the tournament, writes Richie Barnett.

A Las Vegas birthday bash has spawned one of NZ's most successful investment funds, and the Nines tournament is being used to get members to their AGM.