2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification

The 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying process began on 9 May 2015 with the 2015 European Championship C. In August 2014, it was announced that seven of the eight quarter-finalists at the 2013 tournament would receive automatic qualification.^[1] Fourteen teams took part in the qualifying process to fill the remaining seven spots.

2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification

Tournament details
Dates	9 May 2015 – 29 October 2016
Teams	13 (from 4 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played	28
← 2013 2021 →

Background

Eight teams automatically qualified for the World Cup. Seven of the teams which reached the quarter-finals of the 2013 World Cup were granted automatic qualification, along with co-hosts Papua New Guinea.^[2] The eighth quarter-finalist, the United States, were denied automatic qualification due to an internal governance dispute and instead forced to enter the qualification process.^{[citation needed]}

Qualified teams

Region	Team	Qualification method	Previous appearances	Previous best result
Americas	United States	Americas winner	1	Quarter-finals (2013)
Asia-Pacific	Australia	Hosts	14	Champions (1957, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1985–88, 1989–92, 1995, 2000, 2013)
	Fiji	Automatic	4	Semi-finals (2008, 2013)
	New Zealand	Hosts	14	Champions (2008)
	Papua New Guinea	Hosts	6	Quarter-finals (2000)
	Samoa	Automatic	4	Quarter-finals (2000, 2013)
	Tonga	Asia-Pacific play-off	4	Group stages (1995, 2000, 2008, 2013)
Europe	England[a]	Automatic	5	Runners-up (1975, 1995)
	France	Automatic	14	Runners-up (1954, 1968)
	Ireland[a]	Europe play-off 1	3	Quarter-finals (2000, 2008)
	Italy	Europe repechage	1	Group stages (2013)
	Scotland[a]	Automatic	3	Quarter-finals (2013)
	Wales[a]	Europe play-off 2	4	Semi-finals (1995, 2000)
Middle East-Africa	Lebanon	Middle East-Africa play-off	1	Group stages (2000)

1. Competed as part of  Great Britain in nine previous tournaments, finishing as champions on three occasions (1954, 1960, 1972). The squads largely consisted of English players, but also featured Welsh players in every tournament. Scotland (1954, 1968, 1977, 1989–92) and Ireland (1957) were represented by native-born players in some tournaments.

Americas

Main article: 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification – Americas

One team qualified from this region. A three-team round robin tournament was held in Florida in December 2015 to determine the qualifier.^[3]

Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
United States	2	2	0	0	54	38	+16	4
Jamaica	2	0	1	1	32	38	−6	1
Canada	2	0	1	1	42	52	−10	1

Source: ^[4]

4 December 2015	United States	20–14	Jamaica	Hodges Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
8 December 2015	Canada	18–18	Jamaica	Spec Martin Stadium, DeLand, Florida
12 December 2015	United States	34–24	Canada	Hodges Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

Asia-Pacific

Two additional qualifying places were initially allocated to this region. Papua New Guinea were granted automatic qualification in 2015 after being confirmed as co-hosts, leaving one additional team to qualify from this region. A single play-off between Tonga and Cook Islands determined the final qualifier.

17 October 2015

Tonga	28 – 8	Cook Islands
Try: Tafua 13' c Fonua 34' c Kata (2) 63', 68' c Terepo 74' c Goal: Kata (4/5) 14', 35', 69', 75'	Report	Try: Nicoll-Klokstad 4' Gelling 23' Goal: Rapana (0/2)

Campbelltown Stadium, Campbelltown Attendance: 4,813 Referee: Gerard Sutton Player of the Match: Solomone Kata (Tonga)

Europe

Three additional teams qualified from this region. A two-group, round-robin tournament took place in October 2016 to determine the qualifying nations - this was contested by the winners of the 2015 European Championship C tournament, the top three teams from the 2014–15 European Championship B tournament, and seeded nations Wales and Ireland.^[5]

First round

Main article: 2014–15 Rugby League European Championship B

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	+/−	Pts
Serbia	6	5	0	1	196	73	+123	10
Russia	6	4	0	2	137	31	+106	8
Italy	6	3	0	3	142	54	+88	6
Ukraine	6	0	0	6	80	256	–176	0

17 May 2014

Serbia	40–14	Ukraine
Tries Stevanovic, Djurkovic (3), Tulic, Calic, Zogovic, Nedeljkovic Goals: Vukanovic 4/6	Report	Tries: Miroshnichenko, Pozhidaev, Troyan Goals: Skorbach 1/3

Zeleznicar Stadium, Nis

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24 May 2014

Russia	24–18	Ukraine
Tries: Bratko, Ovchinnikov, Vlasyuk, Zdobnikov, Kosharin Goals: Zdobnikov 1/2, Bratko 1/1	Report	Tries: Skorbach (3) Goals: Skorbach 3/3

Vereya Stadium, Vereya

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21 June 2014

Russia	20–6	Serbia
Tries: Kosharin (2), Nisiforov, Bratko Goals: Lysokon 2/4	Report	Tries: Vukanovic Goals: Vukanovic 1/1

Nara Stadium, Narofominsk

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5 July 2014

Italy	54–12	Ukraine
Tries: Dalla Regione (3), Idammou (2), Miranda (2), Ameglio, De Mayer, Pagani Goals: Fontana 7/10	Report	Tries: I Karpenko, Troyan Goals: Mazepa 2/2

Stadio Comunale, Gemona del Friuli

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26 July 2014

Italy	22–18	Russia
Tries: De Meyer, Curione (2) Goals: Bradley 5/6	Report	Tries: Bratko, Izmailov, Botnarash Goals: Lysokon 3/3

Stadio Comunale, Gemona del Friuli

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10 September 2014

Serbia	45–6	Italy
Tries: Vukanovic (2), Novakovic, Calic, Djurkovic (2), Zogovic, Stevanovic Goals: Vukanovic 4/4, Vojislav Dedic 2/4 Drop Goals: Novakovic	Report	Tries: Celerino Goals: Fontana 1/1

Makis Stadium, Belgrade

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16 May 2015

Serbia	20–15	Russia
Tries: Stevanovic (2), Dedic, Zogovic Goals: Dedic 2/4	Report	Tries: Korolev, Ovchinnikov, Zdobnikov Goals: Lysokin 1/2, Grigoryan 0/1 Drop Goals: Ovchnnikov

Makis Stadium, Belgrade

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20 June 2015

Italy	14–21	Serbia
Tries: Boscolo, Lepori, Gazzoli Goals: Fontana 1/3	Report	Tries: Djurković, Janković, Stevanović Goals: Vojislav Dedić 4/5 Drop Goals: Vojislav Dedić 1/1

Stadio Comunale, Gemona del Friuli

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4 July 2015

Ukraine	20–34	Russia
Tries: Troyan, Veprik (2), Skorbach Goals: Skorbach 2/4	Report	Tries: Bratko (2), Korolev (2), Zabelin (2), Bulanov Goals: Lysokon 2/3, Grigoryan 0/1, Bratko 1/3

Makiš Stadium, Belgrade1

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18 July 2015

Ukraine	12–40	Italy
Tries: Troyan, Karpenko Goals: Skorbach (2/2)	Report	Tries: Bellotti (3), Illinca, Boscolo, Celerino, Decaro, Lepori Goals: De Mayer 4/5

National University of Ukraine, Irpin

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12 September 2015

Russia	26–6	Italy
Tries: Lysokon, Gaponov, Burlutskiy, Bratko, Botnarash Goals: Lysokon (2/4), Bratko (1/1)	Report	Tries: Boscolo Goals: Fontana (1/1)

Fily Stadium, Moscow

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12 September 2015

Ukraine	4–64	Serbia
Tries: Shalaev Goals: Bashevskii (0/1)	Report	Tries: Gak (2), Stevanovic (3), Calic, V. Dedic, Nedeljkovic (2), Madzarevic, Zogovic Goals: Vukanovic (0/1), V. Dedic (10/11)

FC Locomotive Stadium, Chop

First round (cont.)

Main article: 2015 Rugby League European Championship C

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Difference	Points
Spain	2	2	0	0	116	34	82	4
Malta	2	1	0	1	60	40	20	2
Greece	2	0	0	2	4	106	-102	0

26 September 2015 18:00

Spain	40–30	Malta
Tries: Morro Garcia (3) O'Doutres Puerta Pilkington Goals: Garcia 6/7	Report	Tries: Blyton-Keep Francois Hussain Burke Zarb Lynch Goals: Blyton-Keep 5/5

Polideportivo Quatre Carreres, Valencia Player of the Match: Daniel Garcia

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10 October 2015

Malta	30–01	Greece

Marsa

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17 October 2015 16:30

Greece	4–76	Spain
Tries: Roussos 57' Goals: Koutsimbogiorgos 0/1	Report	Tries: Puerta (2) 11', 47' Lopez (2) 24', 64' Lagunas (2) 33', 75' Doutres 4' Blanco 7' Dulley 16' Morro 18' Mehamed González 27' Thorp 61' Perez-Fuster 68' Bringuier 78' Goals: Doutres 8/12 Ivan Mendez 1/1 Aitor Davila 1/1

Athens

Second round

Main article: 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification – Europe

The tournament featured two groups of three teams playing in a single round-robin format. The winners of each group qualified for the World Cup, while the runners-up faced each other in a play-off match on 5 November 2016 to determine the final spot. A seeded draw took place to determine the groups on 5 November 2015.

Group A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Wales	2	2	0	0	70	14	+56	4	Qualification for 2017 Rugby League World Cup
2	Italy	2	1	0	1	76	34	+42	2	Advance to fourth round
3	Serbia	2	0	0	2	14	112	−98	0

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

15 October 2016	Wales	50–0	Serbia	Stebonheath Park, Llanelli
22 October 2016	Serbia	14–62	Italy	Makiš Stadium, Belgrade
29 October 2016	Italy	14–20	Wales	Stadio Brianteo, Monza

Group B

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Ireland	2	2	0	0	116	22	+94	4	Qualification for 2017 Rugby League World Cup
2	Russia	2	1	0	1	56	76	−20	2	Advance to fourth round
3	Spain	2	0	0	2	12	86	−74	0

Source: ^{[citation needed]}

15 October 2016	Russia	40–6	Spain	Fili Stadium, Moscow
22 October 2016	Spain	6–46	Ireland	Polideportivo Quatre Carrares, Valencia
29 October 2016	Ireland	70–16	Russia	Carlisle Grounds, Bray

Playoff

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

2017 Rugby League World Cup Europe qualification play-off

4 November 2016 20:00 GMT (UTC+0:00)

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

Leigh Sports Village, Leigh Attendance: 450 Referee: Chris Campbell (England) Player of the Match: Terry Campese (Italy)

Middle East-Africa

Main article: 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification (Middle East-Africa play-off)

One team qualified from this region. A two match series was held between South Africa and Lebanon to determine the qualifier.^[6]

25 October 2015	South Africa	12–40	Lebanon	Bosman Stadium, Brakpan
31 October 2015	South Africa	16–50	Lebanon	Bosman Stadium, Brakpan