SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI

Driving through the streets of Cape Town to the Khayelitsha Cricket Ground, 23 young Aussies were plastered to one side of the bus looking out across the miles of South African Townships that lay ahead of us. Corrugated Iron shacks, whole houses half the size of an average Australian bedroom and people lining the highways, we were all left wondering what our game was doing all the way out here.
These 23 young Aussies were part of the Australian Amateur Football Council (AAFC) tour to South Africa, which consisted of some of the best U23 amateur footballers from across Western Australia, South Australia,Victoria and Tasmania.
Arriving at the Khayelitsha Cricket Ground, it looked a magnificent sight, with two big and two little sticks at either end and hundreds of South African footballers preparing to represent their province in the National Titles. The AAFC team split up to help the players and the coaches of the four separate provinces improve the ‘Big 5 Skills’ of the game (kicking, handpassing, marking, evasive skills and defensive skills) as well as develop tactics and game styles.
Throughout the National Carnival it was an amazing experience to get to know the South African players, where they came from, how they came to play footyWILD, as it is called, and the impact playing footy has had in their lives. With most participants living in the poor black townships that had grabbed everyone’s attention on the bus that first day, the one thing that truly shone through was the South African players passion and love for the game – a game that is not overshadowed by a racist past, a game that allows players the freedom to run anywhere they like, a game that gives players the opportunity to not only travel outside their province (which most have never done) –  but also a chance to travel to Australia and to pass on their knowledge to the next generation in their community.
After the National Carnival, the Australian team got its chance to take on South Africa’s national team, the Lions, who were excited at the prospect of playing with some of the best young footballers from Australia. However, the Aussies kicked thirteen unanswered goals in the first half. It was then decided to mix the teams and Aussie and South African alike truly enjoyed the opportunity to play together and share our combined knowledge of the game, our game.
Comparing our own childhoods growing up playing footy in the different corners of Australia to the path the South African players had taken to get to that game, there was indeed a great amount of admiration for South Africa’s footballers and what they have been able to achieve after playing Australian football for such a short time.
Having made some fantastic friends which we will see next August in Australia for the International Cup, the AAFC tour moved on to experience the cultural wonders of South Africa including Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope, Soweto, Nelson Mandela’s house and the Big 5 Game Animals.
A real highlight of the trip was conducting a clinic for primary school children in Tembisa, just outside of Johannesburg. All the AAFC players and officials were absolutely blown away by firstly how excited the kids were to be able to play footy, but also how skilled they were with a football in hand.
We have left South Africa with a unique understanding of the country, the people and how a whole new generation of South Africans love to go out and kick the footy as much as we do!

The Australian Amateurs’ invitational team has landed in South Africa for a two week tour that will take in football, training camps and visits to townships. We’ll update you as the players report back on happenings in and around Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Players on the trip (pictured from left) are Ryan Semmel (Hampton Rovers), Grant Baldwin (Old Carey), Trent Zimbachs (Collegians), Jack Hellier (St Bede’s Mentone Tigers), Jack Watts (Uni Blues) and Paul Florance (Bulleen Templestowe).
All Australian U-23’s v South African Lions Match Summary
by Grant Baldwin (who injured his ankle on Day 2 and was unable to play in the game)
After 3 days of passing on our football knowledge to the South African players, it was time to pull on the green,  gold and white and get a better understanding of the quality of football that the South Africans were capable of.
Not to be outdone by the song and dance of the South African side, the Australian U-23 Amateurs entered the arena to the tune of “In the jungle”, led by the musical genius of Jack Hellier.
In a moving scene, national anthems were played and hostilities began. From the first bounce it was one-sided. Fearless leader and Captain Jack Watts slotted the first of 13 unanswered goals.
The Lions smaller fames found it hard to hold tackles with Trent Zimbachs brushing off opponents wth ease playing off half back.
The pace and elusiveness of the Lions was always going to test us, but their inability to handle the contested ball clearly meant that they never really got a chance to break away to showcase their leg speed.
Paul Florance was good in tight with sure hands and Ryan Semmel was lively up forward kicking a lovely left goal tucked up against the boundary line.
Watts had five majors before half time, where it was decided to mix the teams. This made for a much tighter contest and brought the Lions into the game a lot more.
The game was an amazing experience for everyone involved. The chanting at the end of the game led by the South African boys and involving the Australian team was simply inspiring. The enthusiasm, passion, athleticism and willingness to learn will undoubtedly underpin the growth of AFL Football in South Africa.
The skills and game smarts of the Lions are still very raw, but the potential of some of the SA boys suggests that it is only a matter of time before we get our first South African born and raised AFL footballer, a proud moment that will be for all of the boys chosen on what has been an awesome tour to date.

Touring party member (not VAFA) explains finer points of umpiring to the local arbiters (or else asking why yet another free kick to the West Australian boys went unnoticed.)

Local junior clearly has mind on more than the performance of the South African team.