LCpl Steve Hughes, 1CSSB, makes a break forward for Australia during the European Touch Championships. Photos by Michael Broadbent, Sporting Images Australia

Referee WO2 Greg Taylor, 5 Avn Regt, in action during a game in Europe.

By Cpl Cameron Jamieson

SEVEN ADF members helped turn the European touch football championships into an Australian whitewash, with the Aussies taking out three Rest of the World finals in Jersey last month.

LCpl Steve Hughes, 1CSSB, and Air Force’s Flight Sergeants John Samin, Jed Murray, Mick Lennon and Paul Ridder were selected as players for the Senior and Masters men’s teams.

WO2 Greg Taylor, 5 Avn Regt, was one of five referees, and Sub-Leut Joanne Adams was the Manager for the Senior Women’s team.

The teams played more than 30 games on the European and South African tour, ranging from young, fast but inexperienced sides to representative national and international teams.

The tour combined coaching clinics and local games, but it was the European championships in Jersey that the players had been training and preparing months in advance for.

Teams from the British Isles, France, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa joined the Australians at the championships.

In the early rounds, the Aussies played all teams but the finals were divided into European countries and the rest of the world, with the teams winning the three Rest of the World finals that they participated in.

The senior women won the women’s open division, defeating Colonials by three trys to two, in an exciting drop off.

The men’s 35 years division Rest of the World championship final was a tussle between the two Australian Senior teams, with the Masters team defeating the Vets four nil.

The Men’s Open Rest of the World Final was won by Australia six tries to two against the New Zealand University team.

Flt-Sgt Paul Ridder was named player’s-player for the Australian Masters Team, while Flt-Sgt John Samin had the honours of carrying the Australian flag at the opening ceremony.

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