World Footy News

With the steady growth of Aussie Rules it was difficult, over the course of a year, to keep track of all the international level matches that were played across the world. There were a surprisingly good number played in 2006 given the understandable drop off after 2005, an International Cup year. Here we'll make a list of all the internationals we could find, which should help towards considering how the various nations faired in 2006.

First a quick word on what constitutes an international. The AFL affiliated countries are in most cases the strongest nations and they generally play under International Cup rules, which are somewhat complicated but essentially require a player to have learnt the game in their own country, particularly from ages 11 to 16. However we won't limit this list to just those matches. Sometimes countries choose to loosen the rules in the interests of competitiveness or in newer footy countries simply to get the numbers required. There are also tournaments where teams play under the banner of a country but aren't really drawn from the major leagues there, or are selected from an artificially narrow base. We'll do our best to report these too, while noting they are unlikely to be recognised as fully representative in future. History is generally (some would say unfortunately) written by the "winners", and so history will decide which games nations choose to recognise as "official" matches.

A reminder that The Footy Record keeps a record of some international results and can be used by administrators to keep track of their local league.

SENIORS

Full internationals featuring (mainly) locals only

Denmark 31.15 (201) d Germany 0.4 (4) in Bielefeld, Germany on 19 Aug 2006 (a Tri nations series)

Denmark 13.14 (92) d Sweden 1.5 (11) in Farum, Denmark on 30 Sep 2006 (a Tri nations series)

Sweden 15.6 (96) d Germany 2.9 (21) in Landskrona, Sweden on 7 Oct 2006 (a Tri nations series, Germany fielded some non-local players)

Denmark finished the Tri nations on top, following by Sweden then Germany

Ireland 8.5 (53) d Britain 4.7 (31) in London, UK on 21 Oct 2006 (AFL match curtain-raiser)

Mixed internationals featuring locals versus non-representative Australian sides

US Aussie expats 9.11 (65) d US Revolution 4.4 (28) in Los Angeles, USA on 15 Jan 2006 (curtain raiser to AFL match)

Australia Indigenous youth squad 13.10 (88) d South Africa 3.3 (21) in Mafikeng, North West Province, South Africa

Australia Indigenous youth squad 18.9 (117) d South Africa 6.6 (42) in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa

Australian Country Championships (Australian players mainly selected from regional areas) -

Queensland 10.6 (66) d New Zealand 0.1 (1)
Victoria B 1.10 (16) d New Zealand 1.1 (7)
Aboriginal All-Stars 11.10 (78) d New Zealand 2.3 (15)
Queensland 37.18 (240) d New Zealand 1.4 (10)

Mixed internationals featuring locals and expatriate Australians representing their country of residence/employment versus all-comers

All-comers (Aussie and Irish in Finland) d Finland by about 20 points in Finland

Stockholm defeated Finland 2 games to 1 (Finland assisted by Stockholm in their maiden victory on 26th August in Helsinki, Finland)

Eastern European Tri-Nations - 'PB GRupa' Croatia Open in Zagreb, Croatia, on July 22nd 2006 -

Croatia 16.8 (104) d Austria 7.0 (42)
Czech Republic 16.9 (105) d Austria 4.3 (27)
Croatia 9.6 (60) d Czech Republic 4.3 (27)

Central European Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, September 2006 -

France 52 drew Czech Republic 52
Croatia 105 d Austria 48
Czech Republic 59 d Finland 52
France 59 d Austria 53
Croatia 56 d Czech Republic 45
Finland 99 d France 24
Czech Republic 87 d Austria 54
Finland 52 d Croatia 34
Finland 81 d Austria 38
Croatia 77 d France 41
Finland 90 d Croatia 45 in the final

Fitzroy Reds 14.6 (78) d Tonga 4.5 (29) in Nuku'alofa, Tonga on October 7th 2006

Japan Samurais tour of Australia -

Howlong 13.13 (91) d Japan 2.6 (18)
Box Hill North Super Rules 6.10 (46) d Japan 4.13 (37)
Japan 5.6 (36) d Box Hill North selection 4.10 (34)
Melbourne Vietnam 17.17 (149) d Japan 7.4 (46) on August 13th 2006 at Windy Hill, Melbourne, Australia

7th Annual Asian Championships of Australian Football, held on the 26th of August at Cibubur, near Jakarta, Indonesia -

Singapore Wombats 9.5 (59) d Bali Geckos 3.8 (26) in the final
Finishing order: Singapore Wombats, Bali Geckos, Jakarta Bintangs, Thailand Tigers, Malaysian Warriors, Japan Goannas, Hong Kong Dragons

Reading Roos (UK) 75 d France selection 66 in Villelongue-de-la-Salanque, near Perpignan, France

JUNIORS

13 - 14 year olds

England 6.10 (46) d Denmark juniors 0.6 (6) in Farum, Denmark in Sep 2006 - King Canute Cup

Under 16s - Barassi Youth Tournament, Canberra, Australia - October 2006

New Zealand 11.12 (78) d South Africa 2.2 (14)

ACT Blue 7.5 (47) d New Zealand 5.7 (39)

Kormilda 13.11 (89) d South Africa 3.3 (21)

ACT Gold 15.11 (101) d New Zealand 2.3 (15)

South Africa 12.9 (81) d Kimberley (Tjurabalan) 0.0 (0)

Kormilda 25.12 (162) d New Zealand 0.4 (4)

ACT Blue 5.8 (38) d South Africa 5.5 (35)

ACT Blue 10.8 (68) d New Zealand 4.10 (34) (President of the Senate Cup)

South Africa 22.16 (148) d Kimberley (Tjurabalan) 2.2 (14) (DOTARS Cup)

Under 16s - Queensland Country Championships, Australia

Round 1 - PNG 8.11 (59) d Capricornia 0.1 (1)

Round 2 - PNG 10.5 (65) d Bundaberg/Wide Bay 1.1 (7)

Round 3 - PNG 16.6 (102) d Cape York 0.0 (0)

Grand Final - PNG 9.2 (56) d Cairns 3.3 (21)

INTERNATIONAL RULES

Seniors

Womens: Ireland 6.26.16 (134) d Australia 1.2.3 (15) on 31 Oct 2006 in Dublin, Ireland (no tackling rule)

Womens: Ireland 3.5.6 (39) (134) d Australia 0.4.6 (18) on 4 Nov 2006 in Dublin, Ireland (no tackling rule)

Mens 1st Test: Ireland 1.12.6 (48) d Australia 1.9.7 (40) in Galway, Ireland on 28 Oct 2006

Mens 2nd Test: Australia 3.15.6 (69) d Ireland 0.7.10 (31) in Dublin, Ireland on 5 Nov 2006 (Australia won series on aggregate)

Juniors

1st Test: Australia 0.11.6 (39) drew Ireland 2.7.6 (39) in Australia

2nd Test: Australia 1.6.11 (35) drew Ireland 3.4.5 (35) in Australia

3rd Test: Australia defeated Ireland 2.6.15 (45) to 1.6.6 (30) in Australia

Australia Indigenous youth squad 9.12.17 (107) d South Africa 5.1.6 (39) in Potchefstroom, North West Province, South Africa

Notes:

1. This is a list of international matches, nation against nation, not inter-club matches.

2. This is an attempt at a complete listing. If anyone has further information you are welcome to send it to us.

3. Unless otherwise noted, matches are mens/boys.

4. At this early stage of Australian Football's international spread, there appears to be no formal body taking on the role of defining what are considered sanctioned international bodies or matches. The biggest leagues generally recognise the AFL as the keeper of the code, and as such matches played under rules similar to the International Cups by AFL affiliated nations are seen as official matches. However other matches are played with slightly less strict rules, or altogether different criteria, including allowing participation of expatriate Australians living in countries for short periods, and significantly reduced number matches, such as nine-a-side. There are also cases where a team is claimed to represent a country yet has few players from the dominant league. As discussed earlier, these matches are also noted here and we leave it to the associations themselves, and to history books, to determine what is considered an official match.