World Footy News

Aussie Rules may not have conquered the troubled African nation of Zimbabwe just yet, but it has won a convert in recent arrival to Australia Tinashe Nyatsanga. He quickly fell in love with the sport and is now one of the game's most sought after commodities - an umpire.

There was an attempt to get Australian Rules Football off the ground in Zimbabwe a few years ago, but the Aussie apparently attempting to do that disappeared from the international footy scene. With the problems the country is now experiencing it is unlikely the sport will take root any time soon. But according to an article on April 22 in the online directory service Geelonginfo, by Kate Johnstone, 22 year old Deakin University student Nyatsanga has shown how quickly people embrace the game when exposed to it. He has now commenced umpiring in the Geelong Football League.

Perhaps one day Nyatsanga can provide a connection that sees footy get started in his homeland. If Aussie Rules continues to take root in South Africa, the economic powerhouse of the continent, then the sky is the limit for the game there. Using Nyatsanga in a promotional role might be something for the AFL to consider.