2018 Rugby League European Championship
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox rugby league international tournament
| year = 2018
| title = European Championship
| image =
| imagesize = | alt =
| finalists = 4
| country = Wales|country2 = France| country3 = Scotland| country4 = Ireland
| winners_other = {{rl|FRA}}
| count = 8
| matches = 6
| attendance = 8866
| points = 300
| tries = 52
| topscorer-flag = Wales
| topscorer = James Olds (40)
| top try scorer-flag = France
| top try scorer = Morgan Escaré
{{flagicon|WAL}} Rhys Williams
{{flagicon|WAL}} Josh Ralph
(4 tries each)
| tournaments = Rugby League European Cup
| last = 2015
| next=2020
}}
The 2018 European Championship is an international rugby league tournament that took place in October and November 2018. Four teams competed in the tournament, which forms the top tier of European international competition, and the first stage of qualification for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. The winner and runner-up will automatically qualify for the World Cup, while the third and fourth placed teams will enter the European play-off qualifying competition.
Teams
The championship will be contested by the national teams of France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.{{cite web |url=http://walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/16359/world-cup-qualification-up-for-grabs-this-autumn-as-wales-face-france-ireland-and-scotland-in-european-championship |title=World Cup qualification up for grabs this autumn as Wales face France, Ireland and Scotland in European Championship |date=9 May 2018 |access-date=9 May 2018 |publisher=Wales Rugby League}} Wales are the defending champions having won the previous competition, the 2015 European Cup.{{cite web |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/rugby-league/wales-rugby-league-stars-crowned-10407196 |title=Wales rugby league stars crowned European champions |date=8 November 2015 |access-date=9 May 2018}}
Standings
The championship is a single round-robin tournament with two points awarded for a win and one point for a draw. The matches will take place over three consecutive weekends commencing 26 October 2018.
{{#invoke:Sports table|main|style=WDL
|for_against_style=points
|winpoints=2
|start_date=26 October 2018
|team1=FRA |team2=WAL |team3=IRE |team4=SCO
|source=[https://europeanrugbyleague.com/competitions/98 ERL]
|update=complete
|win_FRA=3 |draw_FRA=0 |loss_FRA=0 |gf_FRA=106 |ga_FRA=38
|win_WAL=2 |draw_WAL=0 |loss_WAL=1 |gf_WAL=108 |ga_WAL=74
|win_IRE=1 |draw_IRE=0 |loss_IRE=2 |gf_IRE=54 |ga_IRE=74
|win_SCO=0 |draw_SCO=0 |loss_SCO=3 |gf_SCO=32 |ga_SCO=114
|name_FRA={{rl|France}}
|name_IRE={{rl|Ireland}}
|name_SCO={{rl|Scotland}}
|name_WAL={{rl|Wales}}
|result1=WCQ |result2=WCQ |result3=POF |result4=POF
|res_col_header=Q
|col_WCQ=green1 |text_WCQ=Qualification for 2021 Rugby League World Cup
|col_POF=blue1 |text_POF=Advance to Europe Repêchage for 2021 World Cup qualification
}}
Fixtures
{{rugbyleaguebox
| date = 27 October 2018
| time = 14:00 IST (UTC+01:00)
| team1 = {{rl-rt|Ireland}}
| score = 36−10
| report = [http://www.rlif.com/article/8510/ireland-defeat-scotland-in-dublin Report]
| team2 = {{rl|Scotland}}
| try1 = Higginson (2), Bentley, McCarthy, McMahon, O'Donnell, Ryan
| goal1 = Finn (4/7)
| try2 = Glohe, Kavangh
| goal2 = Brierley (1/2)
| stadium = Morton Stadium, Santry
| attendance= 200[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/european-championship-2018/game-1/ireland-vs-scotland.html Ireland vs. Scotland]
| referee = Tom Grant (England){{cite web|date=26 October 2018|title=Most diverse ever match official panel named for European Championship|url=https://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/16515/most-diverse-ever-match-official-panel-named-for-european-championship|publisher=Wales Rugby League|access-date=27 October 2018}}
}}
Notes:
- James Bentley, Lewis Bienek, Liam Byrne, Jack Higginson, Ronan Michael, Declan O'Donnell, Ethan Ryan, Michael Ward (all Ireland), Davey Dixon, Nick Glohe, Finn Hutchison, Sam Luckley, Murray Mitchell, Kieran Moran, and Luke Westman (all Scotland) made their Test debuts.
{{rugbyleaguebox
| date = 27 October 2018
| time = 18:00 CEST (UTC+02:00)
| team1 = {{rl-rt|France}}
| score = 54–18
| report = [http://www.rlif.com/article/8509/france-get-off-to-winning-start-in-euro-championship Report]
| team2 = {{rl|Wales}}
| try1 = Escaré (2), Marcon (2), Ader, Curran, Gigot, Miloudi, Navarette
| goal1 = Gigot (7/8), Albert (1/1), Curran (1/1)
| goal2 = Olds (3/3)
| stadium = Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne{{cite web|date=6 September 2018|title=Euro 2018: France – Galles et France – Ecosse à Domec (Carcassonne)|url=https://www.ffr13.fr/actualite-a-la-une/euro-2018-france-galles-et-france-ecosse-a-domec-carcassonne/|publisher=FFR XIII|access-date=6 September 2018|language=fr}}
| attendance= 4,055[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/european-championship-2018/game-1/france-vs-wales.html France vs. Wales]
| referee = James Child (England)
}}
Notes:
- Rhys Curran (France), Connor Davies, Curtis Davies, Sion Jones, and James Olds (all Wales) made their Test debuts, while Chris Vitalini made his debut for Wales after previously representing Italy.
----
{{rugbyleaguebox
| date = 2 November 2018
| time = 19:30 GMT (UTC+00:00)
| team1 = {{rl-rt|Scotland}}
| score = 12–50
| report = [http://www.rlif.com/article/8516/european-championship--scotland--wales----report Report]
| team2 = {{rl|Wales}}
| goal1 = Brierley (2/2)
| try2 = Williams (3), Jenkins (2), Ralph (2), Butler, Evans
| goal2 = Olds (7/9)
| stadium = Netherdale, Galashiels{{cite web|date=16 August 2018|title=Wales face Scotland at Netherdale, Galashiels this autumn|url=http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/16458/wales-face-scotland-at-netherdale-galashiels-this-autumn|publisher=Wales Rugby League|access-date=2 September 2018}}
| attendance= 250[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/european-championship-2018/game-2/scotland-vs-wales.html Scotland vs. Wales]
| referee = Ben Casty (France)
}}
Notes:
- Craig Borthwick, Craig Robertson (both Scotland), Mike Butt, and Elliott Jenkins (both Wales) made their Test debuts.
{{rugbyleaguebox
| date = 3 November 2018
| time = 14:00 GMT (UTC+00:00)
| team1 = {{rl-rt|Ireland}}
| score = 10–24
| report = [https://www.rlef.eu.com/fixtures/912 Report]
| team2 = {{rl|France}}
| goal1 = Finn (1/2)
| try2 = De Costa (2), Ader, Marcon
| goal2 = Gigot (4/5)
| stadium = Morton Stadium, Santry
| attendance= 250[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/european-championship-2018/game-2/ireland-vs-france.html Ireland vs. France]
| referee = Scott Mikalauskas (England)
}}
Notes:
- Ed O'Keefe (Ireland) made his Test debut.
- France became the 9th team to qualify for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
----
{{rugbyleaguebox
| date = 10 November 2018
| time = 18:00 CET (UTC+01:00)
| team1 = {{rl-rt|France}}
| score = 28–10
| report = [https://www.scotlandrl.com/2018/11/11/european-championship-round-3-france-28-10-scotland/ Report]
| team2 = {{rl|Scotland}}
| try1 = Escaré (2), Fages, Marion
| goal1 = Escaré (6/6)
| try2 = Dixon, Robertson
| goal2 = Brierley (0/1), Thomas (1/1)
| stadium = Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne
| attendance= 2,854[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/european-championship-2018/game-3/france-vs-scotland.html France vs Scotland]
| referee = Greg Dolan (England)
}}
Notes:
- Gavin Marguerite (France), Hamish Bentley, Matt Hogg, Niall Sidney, and Dan Turland (all Scotland) made their Test debuts.
{{rugbyleaguebox
| date = 11 November 2018
| time = 15:00 GMT (UTC+00:00)
| team1 = {{rl-rt|Wales}}
| score = 40–8
| report = [https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/46126463 Report]
| team2 = {{rl|Ireland}}
| try1 = Bennion, Butler, Evans, Lloyd, Ralph, Williams
| goal1 = Olds (8/10)
| goal2 = Finn (0/2)
| stadium = Racecourse Ground, Wrexham{{cite web|date=31 August 2018|title=Wrexham's Racecourse Stadium will host Wales' international with Ireland|url=http://www.walesrugbyleague.co.uk/article/16466/wrexhams-racecourse-stadium-will-host-wales-international-with-ireland|publisher=Wales Rugby League|access-date=2 September 2018}}
| attendance= 1,257[https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/european-championship-2018/game-3/wales-vs-ireland.html Wales vs. Ireland]
| referee = Gareth Hewer (England)
}}
Notes:
- Wales became the 10th team to qualify for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
Media coverage
| class="wikitable" |
| Country or region
!Broadcaster !{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| {{AUS}} |
| {{GBR}} |
| {{FRA}} |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Rugby League European Cup seasons}}
{{RLWC2021}}
{{2018 in rugby league}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rugby League European Championship}}
Category:2018 in Welsh rugby league
Category:2018 in Scottish sport
Category:2018 in French rugby league
2018 Rugby League European Championship
Category:2021 Rugby League World Cup