World Footy News

 

Australian Rules football has slowly and surely spread its influence to all corners of the world. Many times it is expats going abroad from Australian to other countries, but many other overseas seeds were planted by service men and women in many locations.

 

There are famous accounts of impromptu matches suddenly erupting on some of the world’s most famous battle fields. The match being played on ANZAC Day in the French town of Villers-Bretonneaux, on the Somme, celebrates wartime accounts of matches played on the site of the Australian War Memorial.

 

Often the seeds of our sport, planted in wartime, burst into flower in the future.

 

Ben Guthrie from www.afl.com reports that Australian and New Zealand troops stationed and serving in Afghanistan will be playing an ANZAC Day footy match. 

 

AUSTRALIAN and New Zealand troops fighting in Afghanistan have participated in a game of footy to commemorate the centenary of Anzac Day.

 

The match was played on April 21 at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, with the League, Collingwood and Essendon lending support by providing jumpers and other equipment.

 

The teams wore Collingwood and Essendon jumpers, with the team sporting red and black prevailing in what was a low-scoring game played on what may be Kabul's only AFL ground.

 

The soldiers signed the jumpers they wore in the match. Collingwood and Essendon players have also signed the guernseys with their respective numbers.

 

Proceeds from the sale of the jumpers will go towards the Soldier On campaign, which sees Australians coming together to show their support for our physically and psychologically wounded.

 

Australia has approximately 400 Australian defence force personnel deployed across Afghanistan in a variety of roles as part of Operation Highroad, supporting the NATO-led Resolute Support mission.

 

 

Bid for the jumpers at www.allbids.com.au/soldieron

 

(Picture - www.afl.com)

 

Original story found at: www.afl.com.au/news/2015-04-24/celebrating-the-anzacs-with-footy-in-afghanistan