Cronulla and St George Illawarra will face difficult tests at the Auckland Nines after the draws were announced on Thursday.
The Sharks and Dragons were eliminated at the pool stage last season and will be up against it again with tough assignments at the fourth annual tournament in New Zealand to be held on the weekend of February 4 and 5.
Cronulla, the reigning NRL premiers, have been drawn in Waiheke Pool alongside NRL semi-finalists the Gold Coast, Penrith and Canterbury.
St George Illawarra were drawn in Piha Pool against last season’s Nines quarter-finalists Manly and the two sides who contested the final – Parramatta and the New Zealand Warriors.
Parramatta, who won the 2016 tournament, were later stripped of the title due to salary cap breaches.
The Sharks and Dragons were drawn in the same pool last season with St George Illawarra losing all three of their group games.
Cronulla looked on course for the knockout rounds after winning their opening two matches but a defeat in their third match to Canberra saw them miss out on for and against.
Meanwhile, Cronulla have announced their first trial match for next season against the Brisbane Broncos at the newly re-developed Dolphin Stadium in Redcliffe.
The match will be played on Saturday, February 4 – the same weekend as the Auckland Nines.
It will be the club’s only 13-a-side match before heading to the UK to play Super League champions Wigan in the World Club Series on February 19.
Auckland Nines 2017
Pool Draw, Day One
- 10am – Sharks vs Titans
- 10:50am – Dragons vs Eels
- 1:55pm – Sharks vs Panthers
- 2:45pm – Dragons vs Sea Eagles
Day Two
- 8:35am — Sharks vs Bulldogs
- 9:50am — Warriors vs Dragons
- 4:40pm – Final
All times AEDT
