Greece and Norway have named their 19-man match day squads for tomorrow’s European Championship C Final, which also acts as a qualifier for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. The nations will meet for the first time today (Saturday) at the home of London Skolars, New River Stadium, Haringey (kick off 1pm), before the hosts face Doncaster in their League 1 fixture.
“We have been looking forward to this match ever since we won our last qualifying game in September,” commented Greek Rugby League Association president, George Stilianos. “We have been concentrating on beating Norway and nothing else beyond that. Fans travelling over from Greece and from the Greek community living in London will join forces to make some noise for the team, and hopefully get them over the line.“
Lee Johnson, chairman of Rugby League Norge noted: “The build up to this game has been intense with all players training at their peak for this momentous occasion in the histor of rugby league Norway, marking its tenth anniversary.
“We all know what a mountain we have to climb to make the final qualification stages, but everyone is giving it their all. Throughout these last months of behind-closed-doors talks with the RLEF and Greece, it has been great to see all parties wanting the same thing, which is to put on the best show we can and make this a day for all players to remember for rest of their lives.
“Both nations have struggled with outside forces trying to deny them the right to play, but this game is a statement to tell everyone that Norway and Greece are here to stay, and we both look forward to a bright future in the sport, no matter what today’s outcome.“
The match will be live-streamed on the on the RLEFTV Youtube site – //po.st/RLEF-NORvGRE – and in Norway via major broadcast provider Amedia.
GREECE 19-MAN SQUAD : Aris Dardamanis, Grigoris Koutsibogiorgos, Ioannis Dimakas, Ioannis Rousoglou, Thodoris Nianiakas (Aris Eagles), Iasonas Kourkakis, Ioannis Nake, Eugenios Malai (Attica Rhinos), Jordan Meads (Beerwah Bulldogs), Stefanos Bastas (Doncaster RLFC), Robert Tuliatu (London Skolars), Dimos Kartsonakis, Georgios Tsiakos, Kostas Katsidonis, Michail Bosmos, Nikos Bosmos, Pantelis Tsattalios (Rhodes Knights), Peter Mamouzelos (South Sydney), Terry Constantinou (Sunbury Tigers)
NORWAY 19-MAN SQUAD : Brett Harvey (Bardufoss Badgers), Casey Diggs, Bendik Kalvik, Sam Mullins (Bodø Barbarians), Harald Mikalsen (Flekkefjord Tigers), Sonny Mellor, Joshua Skidmore-Hornby, Lucas Zuniga (Lillestrøm Lions), Nils Kristian Holte, Kristoffer Milligan, Simon Viljoen (Oslo Capitals), Kevin Båtnes, Chris Stalsberg (Porsgrunn Pirates), Kristoffer Borsheim, Nathan Cummins, Ezra McIntyre, Fredrik Nordtun (Stavanger Storm), Stephen Stepanek Mwikaria (Trondheim Rugby Klubb), Kristian Nordin-Skipnes (Woden Valley Rams)
