2021 Rugby League European Championship D

2021 (2021) European Championship D ()
2021 European Championship D
Number of teams	4
Host country	Turkey
Winner	Netherlands (1st title)
Matches played	4
Points scored	208 (52 per match)
Tries scored	34 (8.5 per match)
Top scorer	Auke Idzerda (28 points)
Top try scorer	Joran Schoenmaker (5)
	Tournaments

The 2021 European Championship D was an international rugby league tournament. Originally scheduled to take place in October and November 2020 the championship was postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic following a meeting of the European Rugby League (ERL) in July 2020.^[1] Four teams competed in the tournament; Czechia, Malta, Netherlands and Turkey.

The tournament was won by the Netherlands who beat Czechia 36–10 in the final.

Background

After initially being rescheduled following the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was planned to be played to be played in May and June 2021 with the teams being drawn into two groups of two. The groups would play two games, one home and one away; with the aggregate winners of the two groups meeting in a final.^[2]^[3] In April 2021 the Rugby League European Federation announced that the tournament will be played at a single venue and that the format of the tournament will not be as originally announced.^[4]

The revised draw, venue and format were announced on 1 September 2021. The games were all staged in Bodrum, Turkey on 14 and 17 October and was a single-leg knock-out tournament. To give each team two matches, the losers of the first round games met in a third-place game.^[5]

The winner of this tournament will be promoted to the 2023 European Championship B as well as progressing to the qualifying tournament for the 2025 Rugby League World Cup.^[6]

Participants

Team	Captain	Coach	Previous best result	World Ranking^[a]
Czech Republic	Tomáš Řičica	David Lahr	Debut	22
Malta	Shan Francois Hussain	Roderick Attard	Debut	16
Netherlands	Ben Dommershuijsen	Kane Krlic	Debut	25
Turkey	Doruk Çeliktutan	Julien Treu	Debut	24

^ IRL World Rankings are as of July 2021.^[7]

Squads

On 13 October 2021, each competing nation announced 19-man squads for the tournament.^[6]

Czech Republic

Antonín Berk, Daniel Veselý, Filip-Daniel Kittl, (Krupka Dragons), David Bělohlávek, Jan Říha, Erik Schulz (Slávia Hradec Králové), Jakub Hudrlík, Jan Hovard, Josef Chuchlík, Martin Kubát, Matěj Greenwood, Taras Turkevyč, Tomáš Horák (Mad Squirrels Vrchlabí), Jiří Pecina, Ondřej Preininger, Tomáš Řičica (Chrudim Rabbitohs), Jan Pecháček (Vlci Trutnov), Roman Richtr (Barbarians Letohrad), Tomáš Kasík (Black Angels Hodonín)

Malta

Alfie Jewitt (Ackworth Jaguars), Justin Barlogio (DC Slayers), Dean Zammit (Hunslet), Christian Briffa, Mark Camilleri, Shaun Chircop, Jeremy Dela, Aidan Demicoli, Shan Francois Hussain (IKHAL), Cameron Brown, Russell Bugeja, Robin Cutajar, Justin Farrugia, James Grech, Jean Scholey, Jean Pierre Zarb, Luke Musu (ISWED), Zarrin Galea (Redcliffe Dolphins), Karl Cassar (Shaw Cross Sharks)

Netherlands

Adam Braksator, Bonne Wilce, Frank Longhurst, Lucas Gout, Maurits Thomson, Paul Dirkzwager, Romeo Goldman, Thomas Farrell (Den Haag Knights), Arie-Tjerk Razoux Schultz, Daniel de Ruiter, (Haderwijk Dolphins), Auke Idzerda, Ben Dommershuijsen, Edson Neves, Isaac Ngirubiu, Shadan Lavia (Rotterdam Pitbulls), Joran Schoenmaker, Laury Renac, Mauricio Gomez Pazos, Paul Kuijpers (Zwolle Wolves)

Turkey

Alperen Kademli, Can Günersu, Erdem Çağdaş, Kemal Ege Gürkan (Ankara Frigler), Mert Tayyar Berktav (Bilgi Badgers), Miraç Ertürk, Ahmet Tarik Tekin, Batuhan Balçin, Doruk Çeliktutan, Oğuzhan Demir, Ozan Işik, Rama Kabak, Taner Burak, Yusuf Can Tunç (Kadiköy Bulls), Selçuk Cömert (Kandira Ragbi), Errol Carter (London Skolars), Behzad Bayram (Rg Heidelberg), Oğuzhan Tirendez, Ömer Faruk Pir (Trakya Ragbi)

Bracket

Semi-finals		Final

Malta	16

Czech Republic	40
		Czech Republic	10

		Netherlands	36
Netherlands	40

Turkey	18	Third place


		Malta	12

		Turkey	36

Fixtures

Semi-finals

First semi-final

14 October 2021
13:00 CET (UTC+1:00)

Malta	16–40	Czech Republic
Tries: Scholey, Barlogio, Galea Goals: Galea (2/3)	Report (IRL) Report (ERL)	Tries: Bělohlávek, Preininger, Řičica (2), Hudrlík (2), Horák Goals: Hudrlík (6/7)

Huseyin Akar Tesisler Stadium, Bodrum
Attendance: 500^[8]
Referee: Aris Dardamanis (Greece)

Second semi-final

14 October 2021
15:30 CET (UTC+1:00)

Netherlands	40–18	Turkey
Tries: Shoenmake (2), Ngirubiu, Farrell (2), Renac Goals: Idzera (8/8)	Report (IRL) Report (ERL)	Tries: Demir, Ertürk, Çeliktutan Goals: Bayram (3/3)

Huseyin Akar Tesisler Stadium, Bodrum
Attendance: 500^[9]
Referee: Eamonn Whelan (Ireland)

Play-offs

Third-place play-off

17 October 2021
13:00 CET (UTC+1:00)

Malta	12–36	Turkey
Tries: Zammit, Cutajar Goals: Galea (2/2)	Report (IRL) Report (ERL)	Tries: Demir, Işik, Çeliktutan, Bayram, Balçin, Tayyar Berktav, Tirendez Goals: Bayram (4/7)

Huseyin Akar Tesisler Stadium, Bodrum
Referee: Jarda Bzoch (Czechia)

Championship final^[a]

17 October 2021
15:30 CET (UTC+1:00)

Czech Republic	10–36	Netherlands
Tries: Veselý, Kasík Goals: Veselý (1/2)	Report (IRL) Report (ERL)	Tries: Schoenmaker (3), Lavia, Razoux Schultz, De Ruiter Goals: Idzera (6/9)

Huseyin Akar Tesisler Stadium, Bodrum
Referee: Eamonn Whelan (Ireland)

^ Netherlands promoted to the 2023 European Championship B as well as progressing to the qualifying tournament for the 2025 Rugby League World Cup.^[10]

References

^ "Rugby League European Federation confirms status of 2020 European Championships". www.rlef.eu.com. 10 July 2020. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
^ "Men's European Championship to expand in 2020". www.rlef.eu.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
^ "Draw for the Euros to be Live Streamed". www.rlef.eu.com. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
^ "European rugby league board confirm revised international schedule". Rugby League European Federation. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
^ "Euro D Draw Confirmed". europeanrugbyleague.com. European Rugby League. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Euro D Championship set for kick off - with added World Cup incentive". europeanrugbyleague.com. European Rugby League. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
^ "Cook Islands rise 17 places in latest Rugby League World Rankings". Rugby League International Federation. 13 July 2019.
^ "Czech Republic vs. Malta - Czech Republic 40 def. Malta 16".
^ "Turkey vs. The Netherlands - Turkey 18 lost to the Netherlands 40".
^ "Czech Republic 10 v 36 Netherlands". europeanrugbyleague.com. European Rugby League. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.

[8] IRL World Rankings are as of July 2021.^[7]

[12] Netherlands promoted to the 2023 European Championship B as well as progressing to the qualifying tournament for the 2025 Rugby League World Cup.^[10]

[1] "Rugby League European Federation confirms status of 2020 European Championships". www.rlef.eu.com. 10 July 2020. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.

[2] "Men's European Championship to expand in 2020". www.rlef.eu.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.

[3] "Draw for the Euros to be Live Streamed". www.rlef.eu.com. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.

[4] "European rugby league board confirm revised international schedule". Rugby League European Federation. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.

[5] "Euro D Draw Confirmed". europeanrugbyleague.com. European Rugby League. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.

[Squads-6] "Euro D Championship set for kick off - with added World Cup incentive". europeanrugbyleague.com. European Rugby League. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.

[7] "Cook Islands rise 17 places in latest Rugby League World Rankings". Rugby League International Federation. 13 July 2019.

[9] "Czech Republic vs. Malta - Czech Republic 40 def. Malta 16".

[10] "Turkey vs. The Netherlands - Turkey 18 lost to the Netherlands 40".

[11] "Czech Republic 10 v 36 Netherlands". europeanrugbyleague.com. European Rugby League. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.

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