World Footy News

The improvement in South African football, expected over the next few years, may be coming on quicker than first thought. Although a cursory glance reveals abundant resources being pumped into the country, a slightly more considered opinion would suggest that since the development is mostly being done amongst children, the adult national side may not be greatly improved yet. However the national side, the Lions (formerly the Buffaloes) has in the past been dominated by North West province players. Given that they were given very competitive matches by the other three provinces at the recent National Championships, a host of new players have pushed their way into the squad, suggesting greater depth than in 2005. Combined with more regular domestic matches, the Lions could roar louder than expected in 2008.

In a surprise move, Mike Pyke, a 200 cm 24 year old Canadian International Rugby Union player has signed on with the Sydney Swans as an international rookie, the first non-Irish international player signed up on the AFL's alternative lists.

It was hoped the two year international lists would lead to AFL clubs scouting international Aussie Rules players, but young athletes from other codes was always another likely source, though at age 24 it's a surprising decision.

One of the IC08 favourites, Papua New Guinea, has named their final squad, with all the vital statistics (listed below). Their tallest two players are 184cm, a fraction over 6 foot and clearly an issue that other teams will seek to exploit - if they can get the ball off the fleet footed runners.

PNG communications company Telikom have gotten behind the Mozzies' bid to win the AFL Australian Football International Cup for the first time. It's not often we see images of footy from PNG - pictured below are some of the players in action at Colts Oval in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Getting a squad of 33 players, as well as officials, down to Australia is no small task for any of the countries heading to the 2008 Australian Football International Cup, and generous sponsors play a huge role. China was no exception, and although they committed to the process and will be a very exciting addition to international footy, up until quite recently there were still some doubts about getting the team to Australia - what a great opportunity lost if they had not made it. Fortunately a major sponsor in Mitchells and their Australian partner company, Oomiak, backed the Red Demons to the point that they will indeed be appearing at the IC08. Mitchells design, manufacture and install conveying and materials handling systems worldwide. Oomiak's expertise includes industrial refrigeration. The Mitchells website also features a great history of footy in China and their plans for the IC08.

The Allansford Football Club of the Warrnambool & District Football League are teaming up with Canada’s Northwind team when they travel to Warrnambool for the International Cup.

Allansford are providing their training facilities for Canada’s National team while they are in Warrnambool for their match against Ireland, as well as including the team in the club’s social activities to make the Canadian squad feel right at home in country Victoria.

The Northwind squad would like to offer thanks beforehand to everyone involved with Allansford Football Club for their generosity they are showing, and everyone from the Canadian team looks forward to a great experience when they arrive in Warrnambool.

For more information on Allansford Football Club, please visit www.allansfordfc.vcfl.com.au

For more information on the Northwind and football in Canada, visit www.aflcanada.com

The final travelling squad for the Irish Warriors is listed below. Several players with experience in Australia are listed, and the squad is now 31 players.

Last month WFN encouraged football fans around the world to have a kick of their footy on "Kick Around Australia" Day. Joining Australian Defence Force personnel in celebrating the first game of Australian Football were 200 children in Samoa.

Timor-Leste, better known to Australians as East Timor, is one of the newer sovereign nations in the world, becoming independent from Indonesia in 2002.

It also has one of the world's newest Australian football sides, with the Timor-Leste Crocs taking their name from a local legend about a crocodile who rescued a boy stranded in the ocean. When the crocodile stopped swimming, its body became the island of Timor, and the boy the first of the Timorese people.

While footy has had an on-and-off-again presence in the country since around 1999, the new-look Crocs look like being here to stay, with plans for a development officer and recruiting underway to send a team of Timorese nationals to the Northern Territory FL's indigenous footy carnival in Darwin in October.

The USAFL today announced that the 2009 National Championships will be held in Mason, Ohio at Heritage Oak Park, 24 miles north of downtown Cincinnati and South of Dayton Ohio.

The City of Mason covers over 11,200 acres and is home to nearly 25,000 people and approximately 500 businesses. Cintas Corporation, Mitsubishi, Procter & Gamble's Health Care Research Center, and Luxottica Retail are among the companies located in Mason. Mason is known as the resort area of southwest Ohio. Kings Island Amusement Park, The Beach Waterpark, Great Wolf Lodge and Conference Center, and The Golf Center at Kings Island are among the prominent recreation destinations in Mason. Mason is home to the world-recognized Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati. The main host hotel is the Kings Island Resort, located nearby to the championship grounds.

The Peres Peace Team have released their slightly modified jumper. Open the article for a better view and a photo of the team and staff at training with "Dippa".

Canada’s Northwind likes its chances as it enters into its final preparation for the 2008 International Cup. Speaking from Toronto, Northwind’s General Manager Martin Walter commented that the team’s management is very comfortable with where the team has been drawn. In a recent interview he commented "We have Finland up first on August 27th and we are now totally focused on that game, but at the end of the day, you have to beat them all and we believe we are capable of doing just that."

This is Northwind’s 3rd International Cup tournament and, while they have not been that successful in the past, this year’s team has a new look to it. "We have a new Coach plus we have managed to get a number of strong corporate sponsorships for this year’s cup, especially from the mining industry such as companies like Foraco Drilling, Quantec Geoscience and Laramide Resources Inc, all of which have business on both sides of the Pacific" Walter said. "This has put the team into a strong financial position, and that allows us to bring the best football talent that the Ontario Australian Rules Football League and other Canadian leagues have to offer."

In another step forward for international football development, five members of the South African Lions have donned the Swan Districts guernsey and played in the WAFL, one of Australia's top state leagues, under the watchful eye of the Fremantle Dockers. Furthermore, their trip was given excellent coverage in The West Australian newspaper. Pictured at left is Fremantle's Des Headland with 17 year old North West Province player Tshepiso Mogapi. There's also news that Collingwood and West Coast are increasingly likely to play in Cape Town next year.