The 2009 European Cup, known as the rugbyleague.com European Cup due to sponsorship, was a

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

football tournament. The revamped

European Cup The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competit ...

2009 involved six teams competing in two groups of three. Participating teams were:

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

and

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

were scheduled to take part in the competition, but were forced to pull out due to board restructuring within the Russian Rugby League Federation. They were replaced by the RLEF European Shield winners,

Squads

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

Coach:

John Elias John Elias was a Christian preacher in Wales in the first half of the 19th century, as part of the Welsh Methodist revival. His preaching was noted as being exceptionally powerful, "as if talking fire down from heaven". On one occasion it is sa ...

Hazem El Masri Hazem El Masri ( ar, حازم المصري; born 1 April 1976) is a Lebanese Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a er in the 1990s and 2000s. An international representative for Australia and Lebanon, and a New ...

was no longer available after retiring from the sport. *

Robbie Farah Robert Peter Farah ( ar, روبي فرح) (born 23 January 1984) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international, Lebanese international and captain of New South Wales Blues t ...

was unavailable due to being named in Australia's Four Nations squad. * Charlie Farah, Anthony Farah, Nathan Dib and

Jarrod Saffy Jarrod Saffy (born 24 October 1984) is a rugby union player. He played rugby league for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL before switching to rugby union with the Melbourne Rebels for the 2011 Super Rugby season. Background He was bo ...

were all injury withdrawals.

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

Coach:

Iestyn Harris Iestyn Rhys Harris (born 25 June 1976), also known by the nickname of "Welsh Wizard", is a former dual-code international professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, and coach in rugby league in the ...

(

Crusaders Rugby League Crusaders Rugby League ( cy, Croesgadwyr Rygbi'r Gynghrair) was a professional rugby league club based in Bridgend and later in Wrexham, Wales. They played for six seasons in the Rugby Football League competitions, including three years in the ...

) * Anthony Blackwood (

Celtic Crusaders Crusaders Rugby League ( cy, Croesgadwyr Rygbi'r Gynghrair) was a professional rugby league club based in Bridgend and later in Wrexham, Wales. They played for six seasons in the Rugby Football League competitions, including three years in the ...

Ben Evans Benjamin Ross Evans (born 31 July 1975) is a former international Wales rugby union player. A prop, he has played for Ospreys, Cardiff Blues and Calvisano. He has played for Jersey and Moseley RFC. After spending time playing amateur rugby for ...

(

Warrington Wolves The Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league club based in Warrington, England, that competes in the Super League. They play rugby at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2004. Founded as Warrington Z ...

Rhys Evans Rhys Karl Evans (born 27 January 1982) is an English former professional footballer and goalkeeper coach. He played as a goalkeeper, who won two England under-21 caps. Born in Swindon, Wiltshire, he began his career with Chelsea, where he stay ...

(

) and

Craig Kopczak Craig Kopczak (born 20 December 1986) is a Wales international rugby league footballer who plays as a for Featherstone Rovers in the Betfred Championship. He previously played for the Bradford Bulls in the Super League, and on loan from Brad ...

(

Bradford Bulls The Bradford Bulls are a professional rugby league club in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, playing in the Championship. They have won five Challenge Cups, six league championships and three World Club Challenges. The team jersey is predom ...

) were put on a four-man stand-by list that was used in case of injuries. * Notable omissions included Glenn Morrison, David Mills and James Evans.

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

Coach:

Gerard Stokes Gerard James Stokes (1955 – 8 December 2020) was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s, and Coach (sport), coached in the 1980s through to the 2010s, who represented New Zealand national rugby league team, New ...

(

Whitehaven Whitehaven is a town and port on the English north west coast and near to the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, England. Historically in Cumberland, it lies by road south-west of Carlisle and to the north of Barrow-in-Furness. It is th ...

) Konstantin Putkin Unattached - Rugby Union

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Coach:

Steve McCormack Steve McCormack is a rugby league coach. He was head coach of Scotland until 2017 and was the longest reigning coach in the nation's history having held the role since 2004. He has also had an extensive club coaching career, having coached Salf ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Coach: Andy Kelly * Sean Gleeson, Gareth Haggerty and Eamon O'Carroll were not selected through injury.

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Coach:

Carlo Napolitano Carlo Napolitano is an Italian rugby league coach and former player. He is the former head coach of Italy, having taken charge of the national side in 2004, and being succeeded by Trent Barrett in 2014. Career He coached Italy during the 2013 Ru ...

* Bradford's

Chris Nero Chris Nero (born 14 February 1981) is an Australians, Australian/Italian people, Italian former professional rugby league footballer. He last played in the Super League for Salford Red Devils, Salford City Reds. His usual position was at , alth ...

was forced to withdraw from the Italian squad.

Group 1

Results

Final standings

Group 2

Results

Final standings

Finals

Championship Final

3rd Place Match

5th place Match

Sources

2009 European Cup at ''rugbyleagueplanet.com''

Ireland VS Serbia 09 Appointment

References

{{2009 in rugby league European Nations Cup