World Footy News

After the second round of matches in the 2010 European Championship in Australian Football, host nations Denmark and Sweden have ensured they will qualify for the top four.

Sweden ensured qualification after recording their second win over a spirited German side in front of around 500 people in Malmö: Sweden 8.14 (62) to Germany 4.2 (26). In the first half the Germans offered stiff resistance against the home team and were only a point down at half time. However, a lack of interchange players made it difficult for Germany, and allowed the Swedes to assert control in the second half to run away winners.

In the day’s earlier match, Ireland comfortably defeated an under resourced Croatia side: Ireland 20.21 (141) to Croatia 1.1 (7). The Croatians must be commended for their commitment and refusal to give up despite the scoreboard, but Ireland’s clinical efficiency and work rate showed exactly why they are the tournament favourites.

Across the Öresund strait in Farum, Denmark, Great Britain defeated Iceland to ensure their passage to the top four. Iceland won praise for their competitive spirit, but in the end Great Britain’s experienced playing squad prevailed to earn them an important win. Great Britain 11.20 (86) defeated Iceland 4.12 (36)

However, the team that impressed most was co-host Denmark, who defeated Nordic neighbours Finland. After a shaky start, Finland regrouped and recovered well, but the nature of Denmark’s win means many are now labelling them a real chance to take the gold. Denmark 14.20 (104) defeated Finland 2.1 (13)

Images courtesy of Morten Christensen.

This article completes the list of games that have been included in our (unofficial) worldfootynews.com World Rankings from 1994 through to the present. Here we show the matches from the start of the 2008 International Cup up to July 30th - just before the Canada versus USA match and the inaugural European Championships.

At the completion of the North American and European matches that are being played this week, we will include the results in our Rankings and present them as the Rankings against which we will reference in future, i.e. they will be our first recognised use of the new scheme. However, if good reason is shown that the system needs changing then it can be.

Canadian Mike Pyke’s extraordinary journey from international rugby to the AFL will continue for at least the next two years. The Sydney Swans today announced that he has signed a two year contract with the Club. Pyke, who has 20 rugby Test caps for Canada, first came to Australia in June 2008 to trial with the Swans. A few months later he was signed as an international rookie and in 2009 he went on to play his first senior game.

He started season 2010 on the rookie list but has made enormous progress since being called into the senior side in round seven as a replacement for injured ruckman Mark Seaby. Pyke, 26, has now played a total of 20 games and is developing into a valuable big man for the Club - and a trailblazer for athletes converting to AFL from the rugby codes.

Quarter-by-quarter scores from round 2 of the European Championship in Australian Football, courtesy of The Footy Record and the EC2010 organizing committee, updated as close to live as we can manage!

Hawks players Michael Osborne, Brent Guerra, Clinton Young, Brent Renouf, Carl Peterson and Ryan Schoenmakers and Assistant Coach John Barker, were joined by 13CABS drivers and their families for a football carnival to celebrate 13CABS Multicultural Harmony Day at Waverley Park today.

The drivers and their children, many of whom had never picked up a football before, participated in a skills clinic in the afternoon, which included with a focus on team values of respect and responsibility. Hawks forward Michael Osborne said the afternoon was particularly important, especially in the wake of an assault on a taxi driver in Springvale less than 24 hours ago.

The USA have defeated Canada in a come from behind victory at the 49th Parallel cup in Toronto on Saturday. After trailing at half time, the USA Revolution restricted the Northwind to a single goal in the second half, storming home to win by 5 goals.

The USA U23's also comfortably defeated Canada by over 10 goals, whilst in the Women's game Canada managed to reverse the trend defeating the US by 3 goals.

49th Parallel Cup - Men's

	1/4	1/2	3/4	Full Time
USA	1.4 (10)	2.5 (17)	6.9 (51)	9.12 (66)
Canada	2.1 (13)	4.1 (25)	4.2 (26)	5.2 (32)

Umpires' MVP: Dustin Jones (USA)

Goals - USA: Dustin Jones 3, Danny Hansen 1, Ryan Kastl 1, Stephen Moore 1, Andy Vancia 1, Andrew Werner 1.
Goals - Canada: Aaron Falcioni 3, Ash Steir 1, Oliver Hayward 1

Best - USA: Donnie Lucero, Brandon Bludan, Chris Candelaria, Andrew Werner, Jason Newquist, Luke Memeth.
Best - Canada: George Dimacakos, Jimmy Oertel, Kevin Minaker, Tasos Dimacakos, Frank Luisser, Manny Matata.

The 2010 European Championship in Australian Football opened today with the first round of pool matches at Stefan Boldklub in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Clear skies and sunny weather greeted the teams as they assembled in front of a crowd of more than 700 spectators for an historic opening day's play in the first ever championships in Europe.

Co-hosts Sweden opened their account in a commanding fashion against a committed Croatian side, who were keen to leave a positive initial impression in their first ever full-format match. In the end, the Swedes ran out comfortable winners by 96 points: Sweden 16.17 (113) d Croatia 2.5 (17)

Great Britain took on Finland in the second game and were well held for the first three quarters, before kicking away to a comfortable 74 point win: Great Britain 11.16 (82) d Finland 1.2 (8)

Tournament favourites Ireland were never in doubt in their tie against Germany. In an often fast paced and highly skilled encounter, Ireland showed their pedigree against a tiring German side: Ireland 18.10 (118) d Germany 0.0 (0)

The day's final encounter featured home team, Denmark, against North Atlantic neighbours and newcomers Iceland. Despite a quick opening goal by the Icelanders, Denmark was never troubled for the rest of the day and finished clearly ahead: Denmark 19.16 (130) d Iceland 2.1 (13)

Quarter-by-quarter scores from the European Championship in Australian Football, courtesy of The Footy Record and the EC2010 organizing committee, updated as close to live as we can manage!

The US Revolution yesterday took out the 2010 49th Parallel Cup with a solid 34 point win after the Northwind led at half time.

In other results the OAFL Awfuls' poor kicking let them down in a 17 point loss to the Boston Demons that saw them kick 2.15, the Canadian Northern lights upset the favoured US Freedom by 23 points and the US Under 23 side easily defeated the Canadian Under 23 team by 68 points.

As the inaugural European Championship starts this weekend, Irish Warriors coach Tom Madigan is entering his first campaign in charge of the side in confident mood. The Irish will go into the tournament as favorites but Madigan is not taking anything for granted. He feels that the Irish preparations have gone well and can’t wait for the action to start.

“AFL is growing rapidly in Europe and this is the first European Cup so it is difficult to gauge what the standard will be,” says Madigan. “We are delighted the AFL are showing ongoing interest in the northern hemisphere countries and we are looking forward to the opportunity to meet some of the other newer teams playing across Europe. I think Denmark, England and Sweden might be the ones to watch, but we will not underestimate the potential of any of the countries in the competition.”

Recently Hawthorn Football Club played host to Trent Croad Scholarship holder Kurt Heatherley, 15, and his brother Jason, 18.

Kurt, the first AFL International Scholarship player from New Zealand to be listed with the Club, has been on one of his regular visits to train with the Hawks in Melbourne as part of his commitment to the Club.

For more info on how the boys found their week please read http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/new...fault.aspx

The AFL Commission announced yesterday that it had granted Team GWS a licence to become the 18th team in the AFL competition, starting in 2012. The announcement of the licence being granted was made Thursday after the formal signing of an agreement with the NSW Government and the RAS for a $60 million redevelopment of the Sydney Showgrounds – the home ground of Team GWS.

The inclusion of Team GWS has potentially very big ramifications for footy internationally. Coach Kevin Sheedy has previously flagged his intentions to seek international footy talent and backed that up this year with the recruitment of Bayanda Sobetwa from South Africa.