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 TeamForAgainstDateVenueAttendance
621422 October 2016Makiš Stadium, Belgrade1,037
142029 October 2016Stadio Brianteo, Monza839

While Russia qualified for the play-off match after finishing second in group B.
Opposing TeamForAgainstDateVenueAttendance
40615 October 2016Fili Stadium, Moscow427
167029 October 2016Carlisle Grounds, Bray867

Squads

Both teams squads remained unchanged throughout the qualifiers.

Italy

Club TeamPlayers
Blacktown Workers Dean Parata
Brianza Tigers Patrik Ziliotti
Cairns Brothers Joel Riethmuller
Canterbury Bulldogs Joe Tramontana
Cronulla Sharks Jayden Walker
Hull Kingston Rovers Terry Campese, Josh Mantellato
Lézignan Corbieres Christophe Calegari
Lions Brescia Giuseppe Pagani
Mackay Cutters Gavin Hiscox
Newcastle Thunder Gioele Celerino
Northern Pride Justin Castellaro, Ryan Ghietti, Col Wilkie
North Queensland Cowboys Kieran Quabba
Oldham R.L.F.C. Richard Lepori
*Sacramento Express Mirco Bergamasco
St. George Illawarra Dragons Shannon Wakeman
South Wales Ironmen Chris Vitalini
Townsville Blackhawks Brenden Santi
Windsor Wolves Ryan Tramonte
Wyong Roos Chris Centrone

Club TeamPlayers
CSKA Moscow Kirill Kosharin
Dinamo Viacheslav Eremin, Andrey Kuznetsov
*Ivanovo White Sharks Ivan Troitskii
RC Lokomotiv Moscow Vadim Buryak, Leonid Kalinin, Maxim Tsinkovich
Nara Petr Botnarash, Mikhail Burlutskii, Sergey Gaponov, Anatoly Grigorev,
Sergei Konstantinov, Aleksandr Lysokon, Maksim Suchkov, Denis Tiulenev,
Vladimir Vlasyuk, Nikolay Zagoskin
Moscow Fili Anton Iunisov, Iustin Petrushka
Moscow Storm Dmitry Bratko, Igor Chuprin, Vadim Fedchuk

Match details

With the win Italy became the 14th, and final, team to qualify for the 2017 World Cup.