World Footy News

Apologies for this flippant post, but "lost in translation" doesn't quite do this one justice. The Japan AFL website has a story on it leading up to the 2007 AFL Grand Final. Not being a reader of Japanese I clicked on the English translation link at the top right, which uses the Excite engine. The headline was now so much more clear to me - "AFL grand final. Let's rise with the orgy". We can only conclude one of two things - the translator isn't quite on top of the modern English vernacular, or Japan is getting into footy with even more passion than most Australians!

The Manchester tournament held last weekend saw four representative teams from around Britain - representing the best locals from the British ARFL, Scottish ARFL, Welsh AFL and Aussie Rules UK - mix it with the home-town Manchester Mosquitos for a five team tournament.

The BARFL's British Bulldogs finished the tournament undefeated with a massive percentage of 829.6% - having defeated the ARUK England Dragonslayers 86-1, Manchester 62-7, Wales 37-1 and Scotland 38-18. The SARFL's Scottish Puffins finished second overall on the points table, but as they were fielding more than the quota of Australians, the Grand Final saw the Bulldogs take on third-placed Manchester, winning 28-3.

Full scores follow.

The successful 2007 CEAFL Championships tournament hosted in Vienna earlier this year pitted many of the newer Australian Football countries on the continent against each other in what was a great exhibition of footy, played by a vast majority of non-Australians, with most of those running out on the paddock being nationals of the country represented by the jumper they pulled on for the day. Now the championships has honoured some of the competition's best players. Report courtesy of Julian "Rooster" Clark.

The Australian Football League has officially announced the 2008 Australian Football International Cup on their website, in the story Melbourne to host 2008 International Cup. It confirms our previous reports on the likely dates being August/September 2008 and to be played in Melbourne and a country venue. Teams to have expressed an interest were listed as New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, Samoa, South Africa, Spain, USA, Nauru, Sweden, Denmark, Tonga, China, Czech Republic and Finland. Other nations are still welcome to nominate.

Over the last couple of years we've reported on one of British Columbia's (Canada) rising young stars from the North Delta Junior AFL - Scott Fleming. He's now getting some local press at home in Vancouver, with the Vancouver Sun detailing his hopes of one day making it with Sydney in the AFL. Once his studies are over, Fleming's family are planning on travelling Down Under so the 6 footy 3 inch, 17 year old full forward can have a genuine crack at the game. In the meantime, his focus has been on his local side, the Vancouver Cougars, and consolidating his spot in the Canadian Northwind squad to head to Australia in 2008. If Fleming can get part of a season under his belt with an amateur club in Australia, he could be a star player to look out for at the next International Cup. Starting in footy at age 12, he has a head start on many of the other players he's likely to encounter at the tournament - whether he can match it with the best Aussie players, only time will tell.

See Delta teen eager to soar with Swans - Scott Fleming dreams of playing for famed Sydney club

Dunedin, the capital of the Otago Province in the South Island of New Zealand has seen a lot. Maori settlement was followed by the arrival of the Scots, who saw the hills which reminded themselves so much of home that they named their new town the "Edinburgh of the South" through to the goldrush years during the 1800's that brought many prospecting Aussies to their goldfields. Australian rules is now being reborn here, hoping to capitalise on a large student population from all over NZ, including former juniors from leagues further north.

Following from their match against Melbourne-Vietnam the previous weekend, the All-Japan Samurai continued their 2007 Australian tour this weekend with a match against top Melbourne amateur side St Bernard's Old Collegians. The Samurai stayed close to the Bernards all day, thrilling the local crowd with their intensity before going down 14.8.92 to 11.10.76.

Saturday 25th August saw the Austria Kangaroos, Czech Lions and Croatian Knights descend on Prague for the second leg of 2007's Central Europe Tri-nations. The battle-hardened Croatian squad, featuring a few Croatian-Australians with experience kicking the footy down under, again proved too strong for the Czech and Austrian sides, although the Austrians were notably improved and broke through for their maiden tri-series win over the Czechs.

Aussie Rules competitions all around the world, including in Australia, often struggle to find enough umpires. Perhaps we haven't been looking in the right places. In another example of innovation in growing Australian Football, AFL South Africa (North West Province) is commencing a program of delivering training in the coaching, umpiring and playing of footy into four correctional centres - Klerksdorp, Christiana, Wolmaranstad and Potchefstroom. No one doubts that the country faces many large challenges as its economy and people continue to overcome the legacy of apatheid and the weight of HIV/AIDS. But it does so with a strong sense of energy and reconciliation, and clearly this extends to its correctional system which has a policy of rehabilitating inmates.

Melbourne-Vietnam tonight defeated Japan in what is becoming an annual match between the two sides. Around 50 people braved very cold conditions in Melbourne to see the home side run out 13-7-85 to 6-9-45 victors, at Elgar Park in Box Hill.

The Vietnamese squad, comprised mostly of Elgar Park Dragons players performed strongly, but were frequently tested by a Samurais outfit keen to avenge last year’s 103 point drubbing. Recognition should be given to the Japanese players, their coaching and support staff and Troy Beard on the side’s continually improving performances.

A full report on the Samurais tour will follow in the next few weeks.