The first game of the revised European Championships takes place this weekend, as Czechia travel to Norway for the opening game in Euro D. The clash takes place at the Strømmen Stadion, 20km east of Oslo, on Saturday 11 October with a 2pm kick off, local time.
Both feature full domestic line ups, with Norway including a double father and son pairing in their 19-man squad. Sonny Mellor and Jymaal Mellor-King have previously represented the national side together, while Kristoffer Milligan will be hoping to have his son Sander playing alongside him for the first time.
Player/head coach Isaac Scmidt will likely hand debuts to Trondheim’s Jakob Øfsthus, Mike Pride of Vik IL and Oslo Øst’s Luke Williams. “Our playing group is very excited for this upcoming challenge,” he said. “Czechia and Germany have continued to improve themselves in skills and development. We are thrilled for the opportunity to measure ourselves against them.”
It will be Czechia’s first taste of competitive rugby league since 2021’s Euro D tournament in Turkey, with Barbarians Letohrad’s Josef Brynda and Slávia Hradec Králové pair Jakub Denko and Tobiáš Marek in line to make their debuts, with Tomáš Řičica captaining the side.
Czechia player/head coach, Jakub Hudrlík, commented: “For the match against Norway, we have selected a squad built primarily around the experienced core of our team. At the same time, we are introducing debutants who have earned their place through strong performances in the domestic competition and bring fresh energy and motivation to the side, and demonstrate that we can compete with a physically well-prepared Norwegian team. Historically, all of our matches against them have been very close.”
Norway squad
Kristoffer Gradert, Emil Grindheim, Trygve Hansen, Kristoffer Milligan, Sander Milligan (Farsund RLK), Sveinung Fludal, (Haugesund RLK), Oliver Falk, Nils Kristian Holte, Jymaal Mellor-King, Sonny Mellor,
Isuf Peci, (Lillestrøm RLK), Isaac Schmidt, Fredrik Skovly, Luke Williams (Oslo Øst RLK), Denis Galic, Magnus Lima Søyland, Marius Odland Sagelv (Sandnes Øst RK), Jakob Øftshus Henriksen (Trondheim RK), Mike Pride (Vik IL)
Czechia squad
Jiří Brynda, Josef Brynda, Adam Mikuláš, Roman Richtr (Barbarians Letohrad), Tomáš Řičica, (Chrudim Rabbitohs), David Bělohlávek, Jakub Hudrlík, Tomáš Kasík, Kryštof Pecold, Matěj Schejbal, Jan Zámrský (Mad Squirrels Vrchlabí), Vít Studecký, Daniel Veselý, (Krupka Dragons), David Slivka (Orli Havlíčkův Brod), Tomáš Adamec, Ladislav Cintler, Jakub Denko, Tobiáš Marek (Slávia Hradec Králové).
