# 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualification – Americas

The 2017 Rugby League World Cup Americas qualification was a rugby league tournament that was held in December 2015 to decide the American qualifier for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. It consisted of a round-robin tournament involving three teams, Canada, Jamaica and the United States, at two venues in Florida in the United States.
The United States won the tournament and qualified for the World Cup.

## Overview

On 3 October 2014, the 2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying competition was announced. Seven of the eight teams who made the knockout-stages of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup were announced as automatic qualifiers.
USA, who were quarter-finalists in 2013, were denied automatic qualification due to an internal governance dispute which saw the nation's Rugby League International Federation membership temporarily suspended. Once the issue was resolved, USA was allowed to enter the qualification process. In August 2015, the qualifiers were announced to be held in Florida in December 2015.

## Squads
### Canada

The Canada squad as of 26 November 2015 was as follows:
* Coach: Aaron Zimmerle
| Club Team | Players |
| Bradford Dudley Hill | Chad Bain |
| Brantford Broncos | Billy Gemmell, Christian Miller, Steve Piatek |
| Capilano Cougars | Alex Boyd |
| Easts Tigers | Tom Dempsey |
| Jamberoo Superoos | Steve Bouchard |
| London Skolars | Louis Robinson |
| Souths Logan Magpies | Rhys Jacks |
| Sunshine Coast Falcons | Ryley Jacks |
| Surrey Beavers | Jamie Kelly |
| Toronto Centurions | Jonathan Cregg, Robin Legault, Matt Wyles |
| Toronto City Saints | Eddie Bilborough, Antoine Blanc, Enoch Wamalwa |
| Valley Warriors | Daniel Blasco-Morris, Rick Schouten, Adam Timler |

### Jamaica

The Jamaica squad as of 25 November 2015 was as follows:
* Coach: Romeo Monteith
| Club Team | Players |
| Batley Bulldogs | Alex Brown, Wayne Reittie |
| Bradford Bulls | Omari Caro |
| Dewsbury Rams | Joel Farrell |
| Duhaney Park Red Sharks | Jermaine Pinnock, Renaldo Wade |
| GC Foster College | Ryan Grant |
| Keighley Cougars | Hamish Barnes, Ross Peltier |
| Hunslet Hawks | Daniel Thomas, Mo Agoro, Richie Barnett |
| Mico University College | Antonio Baker |
| RC Lescure-Arthes XIII | Lamont Bryan |
| Newcastle Thunder | Joe Brown |
| Sheffield Eagles | Corey Hanson |
| University of Technology | Nathan Campbell, Marvin Thompson |
| Vauxhall Rugby Club | Tyronie Rowe |
| Unattached | Brian Hutchinson |

### United States

The USA squad as of 25 November 2015 was as follows:
On 2 December the US team suffered a setback after Tui Samoa pulled out of the squad for personal reasons. He was replaced by Corey Makelim.
* Coach: Brian McDermott
| Club Team | Players |
| Atlanta Rhinos | Nick Newlin |
| Central Florida Warriors | Taylor Alley |
| Connecticut Wildcats | Matt Walsh |
| Chicago Stockyarders | Taylor Howden |
| Delaware Black Foxes | Kevin Wiggins |
| Jacksonville Axemen | Jon Purnell |
| London Broncos | Mark Offerdahl |
| Wests Panthers | Kristian Freed, Luke Barron |
| New York Knights | Abe Cohen |
| Norths Devils | Sam Carson |
| Northern Virginia Eagles | Ryan Burroughs |
| Philadelphia Fight | Casey Clark, Rich Henson, Andrew Kneisly, Roman Lowery, Mike Timpano |
| Wentworthville Magpies | Danny Howard, Steve Howard, Corey Makelim |

## Standings

Key to colours in table :
* Qualified for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup
| 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 |

## Fixtures
### United States vs Jamaica

* 4 December 2015
| United States | 20 – 14 | Jamaica |
| Try: Offerdahl 10' Howden 12' D. Howard 43' Makelim 54' Goal: Freed (2/4) | Report | Try: Peltier (2) 30', 78' Farrell 49' Goal: Farrell (1/3) |
* Hodges Stadium, Jacksonville Referee: Robert Hicks Player of the Match: Mark Offerdahl
| FB | 1 | Corey Makelim |
| RW | 22 | Taylor Howden |
| RC | 3 | Taylor Alley |
| LC | 4 | Daniel Howard |
| LW | 5 | Mike Timpano |
| FE | 6 | Rich Henson |
| HB | 7 | Matt Walsh |
| PR | 8 | Steve Howard |
| HK | 2 | Kristian Freed |
| PR | 9 | Mark Offerdahl (c) |
| SR | 11 | Abe Cohen |
| SR | 12 | Casey Clark |
| LF | 13 | Jon Purnell |
| Substitutes: ||
| IC | 14 | Ryan Burroughs |
| IC | 15 | Andrew Kneisly |
| IC | 16 | Nick Newlin |
| IC | 17 | Sam Carson 33' to 43' |
| Coach: ||
| Brian McDermott ||
| FB | 1 | Wayne Reittie |
| RW | 2 | Alex Brown |
| RC | 3 | Richie Barnett |
| LC | 4 | Renaldo Wade |
| LW | 5 | Omari Caro 39' to 49' |
| FE | 6 | Joel Farrell |
| HB | 7 | Daniel Thomas |
| PR | 8 | Antonio Baker |
| HK | 9 | Marvin Thompson |
| PR | 10 | Ross Peltier |
| SR | 11 | Nathan Campbell |
| SR | 12 | Corey Hanson (c) |
| LK | 13||} Lamont Bryan |
| Substitutes: ||
| IC | 14 | Joe Brown |
| IC | 15 | Tyronie Rowe |
| IC | 16 | Ryan Grant |
| IC | 17 | Mo Agoro |
| Coach: ||
| Romeo Monteith ||

### Canada vs Jamaica

* 8 December 2015
| Canada | 18 – 18 | Jamaica |
| Try: Ryley Jacks 63' Legault (2) 76', 79' Goal: Piatek (3/3) | Report | Try: Bryan 21' A. Brown 26' Reittie 57' Goal: Farrell (3/5) |
* Spec Martin Stadium, DeLand Referee: Robert Hicks Player of the Match: Robin Legault
| FB | 1 | Robin Legault |
| RW | 2 | Billy Gemmell |
| RC | 3 | Jonathan Cregg |
| LC | 4 | Rick Schouten |
| LW | 5 | Adam Timler |
| FE | 6 | Ryley Jacks |
| HB | 7 | Steve Piatek |
| PR | 8 | Louis Robinson |
| HK | 9 | Rhys Jacks |
| PR | 10 | Tom Dempsey |
| SR | 11 | Christian Miller |
| SR | 12 | Steve Bouchard |
| LF | 13 | Jamie Kelly |
| Substitutes: ||
| IC | 14 | Matt Wyles |
| IC | 15 | Enoch Wamalwa |
| IC | 16 | Antoine Blanc |
| IC | 17 | Alex Boyd |
| Coach: ||
| Aaron Zimmerle ||
| FB | 1 | Wayne Reittie |
| RW | 2 | Alex Brown |
| RC | 3 | Richie Barnett |
| LC | 4 | Hamish Barnes |
| LW | 5 | Omari Caro |
| FE | 6 | Joel Farrell |
| HB | 7 | Corey Hanson |
| PR | 8 | Nathan Campbell |
| HK | 9 | Marvin Thompson |
| PR | 10 | Ross Peltier |
| SR | 11 | Jermaine Pinnock |
| SR | 12 | Mo Agoro |
| LK | 13 | Lamont Bryan |
| Substitutes: ||
| IC | 14 | Joe Brown |
| IC | 15 | Tyronie Rowe 63' to 73' |
| IC | 16 | Renaldo Wade |
| IC | 17 | Brian Hutchinson |
| Coach: ||
| Romeo Monteith ||

### United States vs Canada

This match was also the third and final game of the 2015 Colonial Cup series.
* 12 December 2015
| United States | 34 – 24 | Canada |
| Try: Alley (2) 2', 53' Howden (2) '9, '44 D. Howard (3) 36', 58', 79' Burroughs 63' Goal: Howden (1/4) | Report | Try: Kelly 18' Ryley Jacks (3) 32', 40', 66' Goal: Piatek (4/4) |
* Hodges Stadium, Jacksonville Referee: Robert Hicks Player of the Match: Mark Offerdahl
| FB | 1 | Corey Makelim 32' |
| RW | 23 | Taylor Howden |
| RC | 4 | Taylor Alley |
| LC | 3 | Ryan Burroughs |
| LW | 5 | Roman Lowery |
| FE | 6 | Rich Henson |
| HB | 7 | Matt Walsh |
| PR | 8 | Nick Newlin |
| HK | 2 | Kristian Freed |
| PR | 9 | Mark Offerdahl (c) |
| SR | 11 | Daniel Howard |
| SR | 12 | Casey Clark |
| LF | 21 | Steve Howard |
| Substitutes: ||
| IC | 17 | Jon Purnell |
| IC | 16 | Sam Carson |
| IC | 15 | Andrew Kneisly |
| IC | 14 | Luke Barron |
| Coach: ||
| Brian McDermott ||
| FB | 1 | Robin Legault |
| RW | 2 | Billy Gemmell |
| RC | 3 | Jonathan Cregg |
| LC | 4 | Rick Schouten |
| LW | 5 | Adam Timler |
| FE | 6 | Ryley Jacks |
| HB | 7 | Steve Piatek |
| PR | 8 | Tom Dempsey |
| HK | 9 | Rhys Jacks |
| PR | 10 | Louis Robinson |
| SR | 11 | Christian Miller |
| SR | 12 | Steve Bouchard |
| LF | 13 | Jamie Kelly |
| Substitutes: ||
| IC | 14 | Matt Wyles |
| IC | 15 | Enoch Wamalwa |
| IC | 16 | Daniel Blasco-Morris |
| IC | 17 | Alex Boyd |
| Coach: ||
| Aaron Zimmerle ||