# 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. Fourteen teams took part in the qualifying process to fill the remaining seven spots.

## 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. 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.

## 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) |
| Asia-Pacific | Fiji | Automatic | 4 | Semi-finals (2008, 2013) |
| Asia-Pacific | New Zealand | Hosts | 14 | Champions (2008) |
| Asia-Pacific | Papua New Guinea | Hosts | 6 | Quarter-finals (2000) |
| Asia-Pacific | Samoa | Automatic | 4 | Quarter-finals (2000, 2013) |
| Asia-Pacific | Tonga | Asia-Pacific play-off | 4 | Group stages (1995, 2000, 2008, 2013) |
| Europe | England | Automatic | 5 | Runners-up (1975, 1995) |
| Europe | France | Automatic | 14 | Runners-up (1954, 1968) |
| Europe | Ireland | Europe play-off 1 | 3 | Quarter-finals (2000, 2008) |
| Europe | Italy | Europe repechage | 1 | Group stages (2013) |
| Europe | Scotland | Automatic | 3 | Quarter-finals (2013) |
| Europe | Wales | Europe play-off 2 | 4 | Semi-finals (1995, 2000) |
| Middle East-Africa | Lebanon | Middle East-Africa play-off | 1 | Group stages (2000) |
* 1 2 3 4 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

One team qualified from this region. A three-team round robin tournament was held in Florida in December 2015 to determine the qualifier.
| Teamvte | 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 |
| 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.

### First round

| 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
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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
* 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, Belgrade
* 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
* 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
* 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.)

| 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
* 10 October 2015
| Malta | 30–0 | Greece |
* Marsa
* 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

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 | Teamvte | 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 | |
| 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 | Teamvte | 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 | |
| 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
* 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

One team qualified from this region. A two match series was held between South Africa and Lebanon to determine the qualifier.
| 25 October 2015 | South Africa | 12–40 | Lebanon | Bosman Stadium, Brakpan |
| 31 October 2015 | South Africa | 16–50 | Lebanon | Bosman Stadium, Brakpan |