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Up to the 9s for a rugby spectacular
The draw and format have been confirmed for the biggest professional rugby league event ever staged on the Fylde.
The first ever Northern Rail 9s tournaments are to be played at the Fylde RFC home of Blackpool Panthers on the weekend of July 11 and 12.
All the Co-operative Championship and Championship One clubs will take part apart from Barrow and Widnes, who contest the Northern Rail Cup final at Bloomfield Road that Sunday, and Toulouse.
All the competing teams will play three group games at Fylde's Woodlands ground on the Saturday, followed by knockout matches on the Sunday.
The four-team groups (A-C) will operate as round-robins, while the three teams in group D play the three in E.
The bottom two in each group will contest Sunday's Plate competition, while those finishing higher qualify for the Northern Nines Trophy.
The knockout games will also be played at Fylde except the finals, to be staged as curtain-raisers to Barrow v Widnes, which kicks off at 5.15pm at Blackpool FC.
The Panthers can't complain after being drawn in a group which contains no Championship clubs, even if it does include Championship One's unbeaten leaders Dewsbury.
However, the format gives clubs like the Panthers little incentive to do well in their groups – as they surely stand a better chance of success in the Plate competition which will probably feature only two Championship clubs.
The Rugby Football League were hoping to finalise a match timetable by the end of the week.
Tickets have been allocated to all the competing clubs and a sell-out is expected, with the Woodlands' capacity limited to around 3,000.
Tickets are still available from the Panthers on (01253) 738971, priced 9 (5 for concessions).
Each ticket grants entry to the Woodlands on both days, and ticket-holders can upgrade to a finals ticket (for all three matches at Bloomfield Road) for an additional 5 (2).
Panthers chairman John Chadwick said: "We are totally in the hands of the Rugby Football League on this one but we welcome their decision to stage the entire 9s tournament on the Fylde. Tickets are selling well and it should be an unforgettable weekend."
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
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