2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification (Europe play-off)

2017 (2017) RLWC qualification (Europe play-off)  ()
Italy Russia 76 0
1 2 Total ITA 46 30 76 RUS 0 0 0
Date	4 November 2016
Stadium	Leigh Sports Village
Location	Leigh, Greater Manchester, England
Man of the Match	Terry Campese
Referees
Attendance	450
Broadcast partners

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.^[1]

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
Serbia	62	14	22 October 2016	Makiš Stadium, Belgrade	1,037
Wales	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
Spain	40	6	15 October 2016	, Moscow	427
Ireland	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
Blacktown Workers	Dean Parata
Cairns Brothers	Joel Riethmuller
Canterbury Bulldogs
Cronulla Sharks	Jayden Walker
Hull Kingston Rovers	Terry Campese, Josh Mantellato
Lézignan Corbieres	Christophe Calegari
Mackay Cutters
Newcastle Thunder	Gioele Celerino
Northern Pride	Justin Castellaro, Ryan Ghietti,
North Queensland Cowboys
Oldham R.L.F.C.	Richard Lepori
*Sacramento Express	Mirco Bergamasco
St. George Illawarra Dragons	Shannon Wakeman
South Wales Ironmen
Townsville Blackhawks	Brenden Santi
Windsor Wolves	Ryan Tramonte
Wyong Roos	Chris Centrone

• * Denotes a rugby union club.

Russia[]

• Coach:

Club Team	Players
	,
*
RC Lokomotiv Moscow	, ,
	, , , , , , , , ,
	,
	, ,

• * Denotes a rugby union club.

Qualifier[]

Match details[]

4 November 2016 20:00

Italy	76 – 0	Russia
Tries: Castellaro (2), Cerruto (2), Lepori (2), Wilkie (2), Campese, Celerino, Centrone, Santi, Wakeman, Walker Goals: Campese (10/14)	[2]

Leigh Sports Village, Leigh, England Attendance: 450 Referee: Man of the Match: Terry Campese

FB 1 Mason Cerruto WG 2 Chris Centrone CE 3 Justin Castellaro CE 4 Colin Wilkie WG 5 Richard Lepori FE 6 Terry Campese HB 7 Ryan Ghietti PR 8 Shannon Wakeman HK 9 Dean Parata PR 10 SR 11 Jayden Walker SR 12 Brenden Santi LK 13 Joel Riethmuller Substitutes: BE 14 Joseph Tramontana BE 15 Ryan Tramonte BE 16 BE 17 Gioele Celerino Coach: Cameron Ciraldo

FB 2 WG 14 CE 3 CE 1 WG 5 SO 6 SH 7 PR 16 HK 9 PR 10 SR 11 SR 12 LF 13 Substitutes: BE 8 BE 17 BE 18   Coach:

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

References[]