2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification (Europe play-off)
The 2017 Rugby League World Cup Europe qualification play-off was a rugby league match that will played on 4 November 2016 at Leigh Sports Village in England. This match decides who is the final European country qualifying for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. Italy defeated Russia 76-0 to qualify for the 2017 World Cup.
Overview
On 3 October 2014, the 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying competition was announced with three more qualification places being announced for European countries after England, France and Scotland had already qualified courtesy of reaching the 2013 World Cup knock-out stage.In the final round of European Qualification there were two groups of 3 with the countries that topped both pools advancing straight into the 2017 World Cup while the teams placed second headed into a one-off play-off match held at the Leigh Sports Village to see who will be the 14th and final country to qualify for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.
Italy qualified for the play-off match after finishing second in group A. Italy were almost in no need of a play-off match after being 40 minutes away from causing a shock result over Wales in Monza.
Opposing Team | For | Against | Date | Venue | Attendance |
62 | 14 | 22 October 2016 | Makiš Stadium, Belgrade | 1,037 | |
14 | 20 | 29 October 2016 | Stadio Brianteo, Monza | 839 |
While Russia qualified for the play-off match after finishing second in group B.
Opposing Team | For | Against | Date | Venue | Attendance |
40 | 6 | 15 October 2016 | Fili Stadium, Moscow | 427 | |
16 | 70 | 29 October 2016 | Carlisle Grounds, Bray | 867 |
Squads
Both teams squads remained unchanged throughout the qualifiers.Italy
- Coach: Cameron Ciraldo
Club Team | Players |
![]() | Dean Parata |
![]() | Patrik Ziliotti |
![]() | Joel Riethmuller |
![]() | Joe Tramontana |
![]() | Jayden Walker |
![]() | Terry Campese, Josh Mantellato |
![]() | Christophe Calegari |
![]() | Giuseppe Pagani |
![]() | Gavin Hiscox |
![]() | Gioele Celerino |
![]() | Justin Castellaro, Ryan Ghietti, Col Wilkie |
![]() | Kieran Quabba |
![]() | Richard Lepori |
![]() | Mirco Bergamasco |
![]() | Shannon Wakeman |
![]() | Chris Vitalini |
![]() | Brenden Santi |
![]() | Ryan Tramonte |
![]() | Chris Centrone |
- * Denotes a rugby union club.
Russia
- Coach: Denis Korolev
Club Team | Players |
![]() | Kirill Kosharin |
![]() | Viacheslav Eremin, Andrey Kuznetsov |
![]() | Ivan Troitskii |
![]() | Vadim Buryak, Leonid Kalinin, Maxim Tsinkovich |
![]() | Petr Botnarash, Mikhail Burlutskii, Sergey Gaponov, Anatoly Grigorev, Sergei Konstantinov, Aleksandr Lysokon, Maksim Suchkov, Denis Tiulenev, Vladimir Vlasyuk, Nikolay Zagoskin |
![]() | Anton Iunisov, Iustin Petrushka |
![]() | Dmitry Bratko, Igor Chuprin, Vadim Fedchuk |
- * Denotes a rugby union club.
Qualifier