The European Rugby League Championship is a four-team competition
between France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The competition doubles as an opportunity for automatic
qualification for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup hosted in England. The winner and
runner-up will automatically qualify for the finals, whilst the teams that
finish third and fourth will have a further opportunity via the European play-off
qualifying competition later this year.
The defending champions are Wales, who won all three of their
games in the 2015 competition to take the title.
Mike Butt: Winger gets Wales call-up after wedding text
Video content
Video caption: Wales' Rhodri Lloyd reveals a text from team-mate Mike Butt resulted in a Wales call-up.Wales' Rhodri Lloyd reveals a text from team-mate Mike Butt resulted in a Wales call-up.
Swinton Lions winger Mike Butt has been added to Wales' squad for the European Championship after discovering he was eligible for John Kear's side.
The 23-year-old was expecting to start club pre-season training having re-signed with the Championship side.
But a chance conversation with Lions team-mate and Wales second row Rhodri Lloyd saw Butt called into the squad.
"I was out in Mexico for a wedding and I was having a light-hearted chat with Rhodri Lloyd on text," Butt said.
"I was saying, as a bit of a mess around, how I was eligible because my gran was Welsh - but I didn't actually realise that was the case and it qualified me to play."
Butt could now win his first Wales cap in their opening European game away to France in Carcassonne on Saturday 27 October.
CBBC Quiz: How much do you know about rugby league?
How many players are on a rugby league team? Which team is the most successful in Super League history?
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European Championship schedule
All times are GMT unless stated
27 October
Ireland v Scotland (Santry, 14:00 BST)
France v Wales (Carcassonne,17:00 BST)
2 November
Scotland v Wales (Galashiels, 19:30)
3 November
Ireland v France (Santry, 14:00)
10 November
France v Scotland (Carcassonne, 17:00)
11 November
Wales v Ireland (Wrexham, 15:00)
BBC coverage
All times BST and subject to change
Saturday 27th October
France v Wales
16:55 BST, BBC Sport website, app and connected TV
Get Inspired: How to get into rugby league
Get Inspired
#GetInspired
Rugby league is a fast and dynamic game, which involves
great strength, stamina and skill, and is played through the summer, so no
muddy pitches, or cold, wet training nights!
With so many variations, you don't have to play the full
version of the game to be part of it.
Whatever your age,
gender, fitness level or technical ability there is a version of rugby league
that will suit you.
What's next? Find your local club by using the RFL's club finder and find out more about rugby league with Get Inspired's handy guide here.
Live Reporting
All times stated are UK
Video caption: Wales' Rhodri Lloyd reveals a text from team-mate Mike Butt resulted in a Wales call-up.Wales' Rhodri Lloyd reveals a text from team-mate Mike Butt resulted in a Wales call-up. 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
BBCCopyright: BBC
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Ireland see off Scotland in the opening match of the European Rugby League Championship at Santry.
Read moreWhat is the European Championship?
The European Rugby League Championship is a four-team competition between France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The competition doubles as an opportunity for automatic qualification for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup hosted in England. The winner and runner-up will automatically qualify for the finals, whilst the teams that finish third and fourth will have a further opportunity via the European play-off qualifying competition later this year.
The defending champions are Wales, who won all three of their games in the 2015 competition to take the title.
Mike Butt: Winger gets Wales call-up after wedding text
Video content
Swinton Lions winger Mike Butt has been added to Wales' squad for the European Championship after discovering he was eligible for John Kear's side.
The 23-year-old was expecting to start club pre-season training having re-signed with the Championship side.
But a chance conversation with Lions team-mate and Wales second row Rhodri Lloyd saw Butt called into the squad.
"I was out in Mexico for a wedding and I was having a light-hearted chat with Rhodri Lloyd on text," Butt said.
"I was saying, as a bit of a mess around, how I was eligible because my gran was Welsh - but I didn't actually realise that was the case and it qualified me to play."
Butt could now win his first Wales cap in their opening European game away to France in Carcassonne on Saturday 27 October.
CBBC Quiz: How much do you know about rugby league?
How many players are on a rugby league team? Which team is the most successful in Super League history?
Our colleagues at CBBC have created a quiz to put your rugby league knowledge to the test. Give it a go here.
European Championship schedule
All times are GMT unless stated
27 October
Ireland v Scotland (Santry, 14:00 BST)
France v Wales (Carcassonne,17:00 BST)
2 November
Scotland v Wales (Galashiels, 19:30)
3 November
Ireland v France (Santry, 14:00)
10 November
France v Scotland (Carcassonne, 17:00)
11 November
Wales v Ireland (Wrexham, 15:00)
BBC coverage
All times BST and subject to change
Saturday 27th October
France v Wales
16:55 BST, BBC Sport website, app and connected TV
Get Inspired: How to get into rugby league
Get Inspired
#GetInspired
Rugby league is a fast and dynamic game, which involves great strength, stamina and skill, and is played through the summer, so no muddy pitches, or cold, wet training nights!
With so many variations, you don't have to play the full version of the game to be part of it.
Whatever your age, gender, fitness level or technical ability there is a version of rugby league that will suit you.
What's next? Find your local club by using the RFL's club finder and find out more about rugby league with Get Inspired's handy guide here.