Footy Aussie Style Hits South Africa

An Australian U17 team made history on Saturday April 14 2007 when they played the first ever International game of footy against South Africa in Potchefstroom, the home of AFL South Africa, in the country’s North West

The North West Cricket Stadium (Sedgars Park), normally used to the sound of cracking willow, was transformed in to an alien playing field, as 36 young men chased leather of a totally different shape and feel for the very first time. AFL standard goal-posts stood tall in front of the traditional sightscreens, the scoreboard rained goals and behinds rather than runs and wickets and the small but enthusiastic crowd of African and Aussie supporters cheered every kick, mark and tackle instead of sixes and fours.

As was to be expected from a group of young men, many of whom will be at AFL clubs in the next year or two, the Aussies proved far too skillful for a South African team still learning the game. Despite the convincing victory to the Australians, there was nothing but sportsmanship on display as both teams joined as one at the post-match function, singing and dancing to their very own tune.

The unbridled emotion shown by both groups clearly showed that they were all aware that they were a part of something special – an historic occasion where Australians young and old, watched in delight as another culture embraced our Indigenous game as their own. This was not International Rules or some other hybrid version of Australian football – this was footy, the new game that roars in Africa!

Ahead of the main game, over 300 South African youngsters aged 8 – 16 years filled Sedgars Park in a sea of colour as “FootyWild” games erupted everywhere. The Under 16’s curtain-raisers saw the locals wear the colours of AFL Clubs, Fremantle (North West) , West Coast Eagles (Kwa Zulu Natal) and Collingwood (Western Cape) , each of which has fostered a Province, as the game expands across South Africa.

The comraderie developed between the South African and Aussie boys over a week of school clinics, township visits and cultural tours, emphasised that this particular AIS/AFL tour was about so much more than developing the lads as footballers.

“This week I saw 30 young Australian men mature as people – they can return home safe in the knowledge that they have been fine Ambassadors for their country,” said AIS Assistant Coach and former Brisbane Lions legend Michael Voss.

The tour now heads to Capetown, where the Aussie boys will launch FootyWild, Africa’s answer to Auskick, in two major townships before the long journey home

Sat April 14 Match Result – Australia 23 : 24 : 162 def South Africa 1 : 6: 12
Goalkickers
Australia: Hartlett 4, Ebert , Rich, Cotchin, Grimes 2, Morton, Notte, Whitecross, S reid, Maric, Smith, Stanton, Dangerfield, Gugliotta, Zespreni, Cornelius 1
South Africa : Benji Motuba 1
Best players:
Australia : Dangerfield, Cotchin, Ebert, Hartlett, Gaerter, Grimes, Maric, Ross
South Africa: Richard Phakedi, Brian Mitchell, Benjamain Motuba, Steven Matshane, Julian Horn