ADF members part of World Cup Touch
Obligatory streaker proves it’s all in the name of cricket

Touch Football
By Maj Michelle Breen
The World Cup of Touch was held at Kumagaya in Japan from May 24-28, with a number of past and present ADF personnel now being able to call themselves world champions after Australian teams won all five divisions.

Twenty-seven teams from nine nations, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Wales, Scotland, France, Singapore, Thailand and the Republic of South Africa, competed in five playing divisions - men’s open, women’s open, mixed open, men’s over-30s, and men’s over-35s.

Australia went into the tournament as the reigning World Cup champion, having never lost a division in previous World Cups which are held once every four years.

This year Australia and New Zealand fought out all five of the finals, with Australia victorious in all five divisions (men’s 30s and men’s open decided in drop-off)

The results were: men’s over-35s Australia won 7-2, men’s over-30s Australia won 4-3 (in drop-off), mixed Australia won 6-5, women’s open Australia won 4-2 and men’s open Australia won 5-4 (in drop-off).

In the men’s over-30s division, the Aussies had eight round games before going into the semis, with easy wins against Japan (17-0 and 16-0), the USA (12-3 and 14-0) and South Africa (9-2).

They lost to the Kiwis by one in the first game to come back with a blinder in the second round game to beat the Kiwis 8-5.

The Aussies followed up the next morning with their worst game of the tournament with all the men being tired, flat and off their game. They were lucky to walk away with a draw against the South African’s 4-all.

The men took a long hard look at themselves and followed up with a convincing win over the USA and then had to face South Africa again that same day for the semi (2nd v 3rd, as the Kiwis had finished top after the draw earlier that day).

Again, the men came out firing and were 8-2 at half time, finishing 12-4.

After nine games over the preceding four days all players were tired, while a few had injuries, but all were able to take the field for the final.

The Aussies were 2-1 down just before half time when one of the men broke through the Kiwi line and ran most of the park with a couple of chasers. He managed to get a nice pass away to the winger who scored just on the half time hooter to even up the score at 2-all.

Both teams scored again in the second half, but neither could get ahead during the last couple of minutes.
In the drop-off, both teams drove the ball from one end of the park to the other, without looking like breaking through.

At four-a-side, the Australians finally got the ball up near their line and one of the team put on a bit of pace and got outside of his defender to slide over the line to score - a memorable moment as the ref awarded the try!

The men’s over-35s lost both of their round games against NZ, though had their chances. With limited training pre-tournament, they improved throughout and saved their best to last with a convincing win in the final.

ADF personnel who participated in the World Cup include MAJ Dennis Coffey (rtd) who coached the Australian men’s over-30s team. Dennis is also the director of coaching on the ADF Touch Association Management Committee.

MAJ Michelle Breen was team manager for the Australian men’s over-30s. She is also XO at HQ Engineer Support Regiment (ESR) at Gallipoli Barracks.

Mr John Samin is an ex Air Force member who was co vice-captain of the Australian men’s over-30s. John is still involved with Defence touch and plays in the local Defence competition in Canberra.

The following three personnel played in the Australian men’s over-35s team:
SGT Chris Bradley (ARes) is an ex full-time Air Force member who still remains involved with Defence Touch Football by representing the Defence Warriors at the annual National Touch League event (where teams for the 2003 World Cup were selected),
CPL Steve McIntyre (ARA) from 7 CSSB at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane is strongly involved in the local Brisbane Army competition. Steve regularly plays and coaches Defence teams within the South Queensland area and is the assistant players representative on the current ADFTA Management Committee and
CPL ‘Doc’ Robin Kildare (ARes) is an ex Air Force member.

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