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European Championships 2020 - any news?

welshmagpie

Juniors
Messages
513
I see Malta are involved somehow according to their Facebook page.
They say in November they are competing in the ‘Euro Championships (Malta/Eastern Europe)’
I take that to be level 2 or 3 with maybe Ukraine and Russia maybe?
 

Coastbloke

Bench
Messages
4,051
I wonder how seriously the IRL and the nation's themselves will take it.

Looking at a Wiki entry about the tournament in the past, There was a 20,000 attendance in 1 game in France. Are they looking to try and regain that foothold again?
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
These really need premium funding to give them the required stadiums, schedule, marketing, training facilities, and broadcast. The top level should be aiming for a level of 'premium boutique'. Crowds of ~10,000 in classy but appropriately sized stadiums, and broadcast in prime time in the participating countries, even on a secondary channel.

Would love to see

Cup pool A: England, France, Wales, Ireland

Shield pool B: Scotland, Italy, Greece, Spain*

*Alternatively, Jamaica.
Americas Cup could have a promotion pyramid into the Euro (rename it) Cup but that's an idea for another day...
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,296
Expect an announcement possibly next week. The RLEF nations have a meeting about it today to finalise the competition.

From what I understand there will be four tiers, so one more than the 2018 iteration.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Ok, I'm keen!

my prediction/hope... 4 Nations format

A: England, France, Wales, Ireland

B: Scotland, Italy, Greece, Spain

C: Serbia, Norway, Malta, Russia

D, split into sub-regions - remaining nations
 

paulmac

Juniors
Messages
776
Ok, I'm keen!

my prediction/hope... 4 Nations format

A: England, France, Wales, Ireland

B: Scotland, Italy, Greece, Spain

C: Serbia, Norway, Malta, Russia

D, split into sub-regions - remaining nations
I thought Gavin Willacy said there would be 3 tiers of 6?
 

Coastbloke

Bench
Messages
4,051
Expect an announcement possibly next week. The RLEF nations have a meeting about it today to finalise the competition.

From what I understand there will be four tiers, so one more than the 2018 iteration.

Do you know if they are going to give at least the top tier some time and effort?

As previously stated, can we expect crowds of 10-20,000 for matches between Tier 1 Nations?
 

yakstorm

First Grade
Messages
5,296
Do you know if they are going to give at least the top tier some time and effort?

As previously stated, can we expect crowds of 10-20,000 for matches between Tier 1 Nations?

I only know bits and pieces. The plan is to have the matches broadcasted again, just like 2018, but I believe they are leaving it to the individual leagues to promote their home games.

The unfortunate side of that is groups like Wales, Scotland, Ireland, simply don't have the resources, capacity or experience to effectively promote matches.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
I thought Gavin Willacy said there would be 3 tiers of 6?

Maybe - i've not heard, just guessing.

I think the competitive intensity of a 4-team tournament has more benefit than the range of a 6 Nations.
If the money is available to play that many games, I'd still go with a double round robin, home-and-away 4 Nations over a single round 6 Nations.
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
Ok, I'm keen!

my prediction/hope... 4 Nations format

A: England, France, Wales, Ireland

B: Scotland, Italy, Greece, Spain

C: Serbia, Norway, Malta, Russia

D, split into sub-regions - remaining nations
I hope it is England and not England 'A'.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
I hope it is England and not England 'A'.

Either is fine for me. England Knights sold well against Jamaica last year. Crowd of 7000 was encouraging.

Best of both worlds, England names a big 40man squad for the autumn internationals. Can run out the second string against tier 2s but still under England officially.
But I'll be happy for any England to be in the comp at all.

Good venues, timeslots and marketing are the key to getting this comp into the mainstream.

Hopefully the RLEF with Ireland and Scotland can scratch up a bit of funding to play at nice boutique stadiums instead of the backwater parks they usually end up at.
 
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Storm13

Juniors
Messages
1,606
Was listening to a podcast at the launch of the Championship and league 1, where it was stated Ralph Rimmer said the likes of Wales, Scotland and Ireland are on there own to improve. I know it's not Ralph's job to help these nations, but it does indicate the northern hemisphere teams are going to continue to be left behind compared to the pacific teams.
 

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,546
I would like to see sub regionals

With winners playoff

England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales

France, Germany, Italy, Spain

Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland

Poland, Czech, Lithuania, Russia

Greece, Turkey, Serbia, Malta
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
https://wrl.wales/mens-european-championship-to-expand-this-year?fbclid=IwAR22oj32PjIhIJWJ2eN3xvtQkCW0oZpP4RQ9Ltub5U7LXu28aqzkO3MB7-4

The draw will take place in Serbia on Friday evening (7pm, CET 8pm) for the expanded men’s 2020 European Championships, which will feature four levels of competition for the first time.

In the senior Championship, holders France, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, who last won the Championship in 2015, will be joined by Italy and, for the first time, Spain, with a final to be held – most likely in France, on 7 or 8th November – and relegation to European Championship B introduced.

The nations will be drawn into two groups of three, which will culminate with the group winners playing each other. This format was used for three years from 2003-05, with Wales reaching the 2005 Final.

Dean Buchan, Spain RL’s CEO said: “It is genuinely exciting times for rugby league here. We have just seen the launch of our first professional club, the Valencian Hurricanes, have a new domestic league starting, and this international programme keeps that momentum growing. We proved in the recent World Cup qualifiers that we can compete and I believe that we will be capable of causing a major upset in the competition”.

FIRL vice president, Tiziano Franchini, added: “We are very proud to be involved in this prestigious and historic tournament. We will use it to prepare for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England and treat it with huge respect. We are delighted to be taking part”.

The draw, organised by the Red Star Sport Society Media Center, will be broadcast by CKM Red on the RLEF Facebook page, and be undertaken by the Serbian men’s and women’s national team captains, Stevan Stevanovic – a social media influencer with almost 100,000 Instagram followers – and Jelena Stojiljkovic.

Champions France and runners up Wales from the 2018 European Championship will be top seeds in pot 1 of the draw, Ireland and Scotland in pot 2, and Italy and Spain in pot 3.

For European Championship B, fixtures have already been agreed: 17/18 October – Serbia v Russia, 24/25 October – Greece v Serbia, 31st Oct/ 1st Nov – Russia v Greece.

Whilst in European C, there will be an open draw between Norway, Ukraine and Germany. In the inaugural European Championship D, an open draw will involve four nations: Netherlands, Czech Republic, debutants Turkey and Malta, with a final to be played in May/June 2022.

Rugby League European Federation general manager, Chris Thair, noted: “There is now a route for any nation to be crowned champions of Europe and this will no doubt raise the aspirations of all our 26 members based in Europe. The expansion of the Championships will expose more nations to a higher level of competition and accelerate their development.

“Commercially the format, including a Championship final, is more attractive to sponsors and broadcasters which should further improve the exposure and investment into international rugby league.”

The Men’s Rugby League European Championships is the highest tier of international competition in Europe and started in 1935, it currently takes place every two years.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – 2020 Key Dates
17/18 October – Round 1
24/25 October – Round 2
31st Oct/ 1st Nov – Round 3
7th – 8th Nov – Final (Venue TBC)

There will also be a separate draw for the fixture format, with each nation playing a home and away game.
The two games over three weeks provides all nations with a blank weekend to arrange additional internationals should they wish to do so.
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
Both good and bad points

The good:
- expanded tournament with P&R
- Spain in the top tier
- Dates, groups and fixtures all announced so early

Bad
- Only 2 games each for most nations (hopefully some can organise games against England/Australia)
- Thought Greece would be in top tier since they qualified for the World Cup?
- No England for the foreseeable future (very long odds to be in this year with the Ashes, but maybe 2022?)
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
So possible European fixtures in Oct/Nov:

17/18 Oct -
Serbia v Russia
France v Italy
Scotland v Spain

24/25 Oct -
Toronto v Australia - Toronto
Italy v Ireland
Spain v Wales
Greece v Serbia

31 Oct/1 Nov -
England v Australia - Bolton
Ireland v France
Wales v Scotland
Russia v Greece

7/8 Nov -
England v Australia - Leeds
Euro Cup Final (hopefully at a biggish stadium like Avignon in France?)

14/15 Nov -
England v Australia - Tottenham

So also presumably Australia will play NZ on 17 October, surely England will play at least one warm-up game before the Ashes, hopefully 2? Possibly Wales/Ireland on the 17th and France on the 24th?
Hopefully Australia can play France on the 21st November, which could give France 5 games for the year.
I'd be happy enough with that, not real happy with Australia playing Toronto instead of a European nation but it's better than we've had in a while.
 

Jim from Oz

Juniors
Messages
724
Thanks, Springs09, for all that !

So, a much-improved Euro champs, to be sure, but I'd like to see finals for all groups: A, B, C and D.

My queries, then:

Are there finals for Groups B, C & D?

Is there P&R from all groups?

How do they decide the relegated team in Group A? A relegation play-off as a curtain-raiser to the final?
And if so, will there also be a Group A 3rd/4th place play-off between the final and the relegation play-off?
(Under this format, ALL teams in Group A get to play 3 games).

Will the teams in Group D, with 4 teams, thus play 3 matches, when the teams in Group B and C, with 3 teams, are only playing 2 matches?

Cheers all !
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
Well Groups C and D are open draw, which pretty much means they'll be played whenever they can. The Group D final being in 2022 means that the teams only have a guaranteed 3 games over the next 3 years, without organising more games for themselves.

Group B meanwhile is fixed draw for this year, with Greece playing World Cup next year you'd think Russia and Serbia will find new opponents for 2021, most likely from Group C?
 
Messages
11,361
Euro-2020-XIII.jpg

he European federation has announced that 6 nations will participate in Euro 2020 and that a draw will be made this Friday at 7 p.m.

In addition to France, Wales, Scotland and Ireland already present at Euro 2018 , Spain and Italy will be on the starting line this year. A draw is planned for Friday and if for the moment little information has filtered, it is likely that the 6 teams will be divided into two pools of 3.

Russia, Greece and Serbia will compete in Euro B while Sweden, Germany and Norway will be in Euro C. Finally, Malta, the Czech Republic, Turkey and the Netherlands will play the Euro D.

https://treizemondial.fr/euro-2020-6-nations-pour-succeder-au-xiii-de-france/
 
Messages
11,361
Euro-2020-XIII.jpg

he European federation has announced that 6 nations will participate in Euro 2020 and that a draw will be made this Friday at 7 p.m.

In addition to France, Wales, Scotland and Ireland already present at Euro 2018 , Spain and Italy will be on the starting line this year. A draw is planned for Friday and if for the moment little information has filtered, it is likely that the 6 teams will be divided into two pools of 3.

Russia, Greece and Serbia will compete in Euro B while Sweden, Germany and Norway will be in Euro C. Finally, Malta, the Czech Republic, Turkey and the Netherlands will play the Euro D.

https://treizemondial.fr/euro-2020-6-nations-pour-succeder-au-xiii-de-france/


*Its says Sweden but on the pic it's Ukraine*
 
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