Ormond are taking on New Zealand at Sportscover Arena next Wednesday night ahead of the International Cup.
On the evening of Wednesday 6 August at Elsternwick Park, the Ormond AFC will be playing a practice match against AFL New Zealand. This is a unique opportunity for Ormond to participate in an international match of Australian Rules football.
The VAFA approached Ormond to see if the Ormond AFC would be interested in playing a practice match against AFL New Zealand, as part of that team’s preparation for the 2014 International Cup.
“It didn’t take long for the Club’s Executive and senior coaching staff to agree, as it will provide a one-off experience for our players as well as further enhance our reputation as a leading community football club” said Ormond President Richard Simon.
The International Cup is being played in Melbourne during the period 9 – 23 August. There will be 18 men’s and seven women’s teams competing, including teams from Canada, China, Fiji, Finland, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Great Britain, India, Japan, Nauru, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Sweden, Tonga, and the USA.
The International Cup is played every three years. Previous winners are Ireland (2002 & 2011), New Zealand (2005) and Papua New Guinea (2008). St Kilda FC currently has a native New Zealand AFL footballer on its list. Joe Baker-Thomas is in the Saints International Scholarship squad. Whilst New Zealand will be captained by Collegians player Andy Howison.
Expatriate Australians are ineligible to play in the International Cup. Teams are comprised solely of amateurs who must be nationals of the country they represent. All players must have lived the majority of the years aged between 10 and 16 as a citizen of their nation.
Other VAFA clubs are also hosting matches of the International Cup in the competition’s Community Round to take place on Saturday 16th August.
Box Hill North are hosting the match between Japan and Tonga as a curtain raiser to their senior match against Hawthorn in Division 4.
Manningham Cobras are hosting Fiji and Great Britain as the curtain raiser for their Round 17 match against Dragons also in Division 4.
These two clubs were luckily selected from a large pool of applicants of community clubs wanting to host matches.
You can read more about the International Cup here.
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