Euro Cup 2016 – Review

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The 2016 edition of the Euro Cup was held in sunny Lisbon on the 8th October. With 374 players in action across 22 teams from 16 countries it was always going to be a huge day of Aussie Rules.

The National Stadium Jamor in Lisbon played host to the tournament with three pitches in perfect condition being used for the 9-a-side competition. Games kicked off bright and early at 9am with the pool stages allowing teams to jostle for position and qualify for the divisional finals.

The Pool Stages

Croatia and Germany were the early standouts with some dominant displays of Aussie Rules. The usual powerhouses of Ireland and England were clinical as ever and cruised through their initial exchanges. The final standings were as follows:

Pool A:

  1. Croatia
  2. Wales
  3. Austria
  4. Italy

Pool B:

  1. Ireland
  2. France
  3. Jerusalem Peace Team Lions
  4. Russia

Pool C:

  1. Germany
  2. Scotland
  3. Norway
  4. Portugal

Pool D:

  1. England
  2. Crusaders
  3. Netherlands

First place in each pool went through to the Cup semi-finals and were in with a shot to be crowned Euro Cup Champions. Second place in each pool qualified for the Bowl finals and third and fourth place battled it out for the right to be crowned Plate winners.

On the women’s side of the draw it was a two pool competition. Fierce rivals, England and Ireland were drawn into same pool and reignited their recent battles early on with a hard fought group stage victory going in favour of the girls in green. A three team Pool B had another big clash as the Swedish and Danish locked horns in what was a thriller. The final group standings were as follows:

Pool A:

  1. Ireland
  2. England
  3. Scotland
  4. France

Pool B:

  1. Sweden
  2. Croatia
  3. Denmark

The top two teams from each Pool went through to the semi-finals while third place qualified for the 5th place playoff.

Finals Time

In the Plate Division it was the Dutch and Austrians who won through to the much coveted final. The Dutch had a fiery hit-out against the Italians to give themselves a chance to retain their 2015 title while the Austrians accounted for the Norway Trolls to show how much they’ve improved in recent years.

It was a tight contest early with neither side hitting the scoreboard until the 6-minute mark of the first half when the Flying Dutchmen opened their account. They slotted back-to-back goals and jumped out to a 16 to zip lead at half-time. When the Dutch opened the scoring in the second half it was always going to be a tough ask for the Austrians. The Avalanches could only manage the solitary goal as the Dutch proved too strong in a game highlighted by its tight and physical clashes amongst players. For the second year in a row the Dutch were crowned Plate winners at the Euro Cup. The final score 35-8.

The second-tier Bowl Division final was contested between Wales and France. Both sides were incredibly exciting to watch in the Pool stages and were hoping to add some silverware to the trophy cabinet after a long, hot day of footy.

Wales jumped out of the blocks early to score the first goal of the game into what was a growing breeze. It didn’t take long for France to counter and they got back-to-back goals to take a 5-point lead into half-time. The French were elite with their foot skills and made the Welsh pay kicking out to a handy lead early in the second half. The lead proved enough for France as they held on for a memorable victory in a fast paced game. The final score 27-16.

It was two old foes going head-to-head again in the Women’s Final. England and Ireland had proved that they were the two best teams throughout the day and were pumped up for another highly anticipated encounter on the main stage.

In typical fashion it was a hard-fought first half between the two sides, neither giving an inch or taking a backward step with their attack on the football. This was reflected in the 1-0 score line in favour of the English at half-time.

The second half opened up with England capitalising on their chances when attacking into the breeze to go 7-points up. The Irish didn’t take long to reply and again we were in for another thriller. From nowhere the Irish grabbed another goal in what proved to be the match winner with the crowd erupting. The final few minutes can only be described as complete mayhem. When the final siren sounded three players were laying on the ground injured and seeking medical attention as the remaining Irish players were embracing in jubilation. Full credit to both sides for again putting an amazing display of women’s footy. The final score 16-7.

The Men’s Final pitted a massive Croatian side against a quick and agile Irish team. Under a setting sun and a growing crowd this was going to be one to remember, and it didn’t disappoint.

The breeze had picked up and the big kicking Croatians used it perfectly in the first half. They kicked two goals back-to-back within the couple of minutes to jump out to an early lead. The first half went all in the Croatians favour and some big hits highlighted their intent on claiming their second Euro Cup title. They went into the main break with a 20-point lead. The Irish opened scoring after the break but the Croatians were quick to reply. Neither side were giving up an inch but it was the Irish who were making their mark on the scoreboard. A frantic final few minutes’ left everyone at the ground perplexed as neither side celebrated as the final siren sounded. It was a draw, 35-points apiece, you couldn’t write a better script.

Extra-time was to be played with 5-minutes each way. The Croatians clicked into another gear and didn’t give the Irish a chance. Their bigger bodies had worn down the Irish and when Croatian Captain, Tomislav Cvetko, went back and goaled late in the second half of extra time it was all but over. The Croatian bench stormed the field in celebration as they were crowned Euro Cup Champions of 2016. The final score was 53-39.

A massive thank you needs to go out to Antonio da Cunha and his team at Move Sports for helping us make Euro Cup in Lisbon come together. Thank you to the umpire squad led by Shane Hill, our volunteers led by pitch managers Fanny Maillett, Laura Pinckney and Hayley Canton, as well as BarTV Sports for providing a first-class live stream of the tournament.

The tournament was played in the right spirit and showcased the amazing footballing community Europe has on offer. Thank you to everyone involved in making this great event so special and we’ll see you all again at the 2017 edition of the Euro Cup.

Schedule16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Euro Cup 16′ – Tournament Preview

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Euro Cup 2016 Preview

1 more sleep!

Euro Cup 2016 is nearly upon us. With 15 men’s and 7 women’s teams on display tomorrow it’s sure to be a jam-packed day of Aussie rules action.

This year’s Euro Cup sees the biggest turn out of women’s teams to date. Players from Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Sweden will be making their way to Lisbon this weekend with hopes of getting their hands on some silverware.

danish-valkyries
The reigning champions; the England Vixens, will be returning with a new three-man coaching team on board and with a few new faces in the line-up they will be looking to retain their title. Joining the Vixens in group A are the 2014 Champions, the Irish Banshees. After being absent at the 2015 Cup in Croatia and narrowly losing to the GB Swans in the European Championships this August, the Irish will be fired up and no doubt will be coming out in full force. The French Cockerelles face a tough competition in what is likely to be the tougher of the two groups, however; this season has seen the French being involved in a number of tournaments including the Champions League and ANZAC Cup so will be hoping their practice as a team will aid their chances. Finalising group A is another 2015 absentee in the Scottish Sirens. After struggling in the 2014 Euro Cup, the Sirens have been secretly strengthening and with the majority of the squad fresh from playing for the GB Swans this summer, they will be one to watch.

england-vixens1

Unfortunately, due to a late drop out, there will only be 3 teams making up Group B. 2015 runners up, the Danish Valkyries, will be looking for an easy run through to the semi-finals however their neighbours, the Swedish Ravens, will surely have something to say about this. The Ravens displayed a strong performance at the Champions League tournament earlier this year and they look to have recruited well this season with a huge social media campaign displaying their many new faces. The battle of the Scandinavians is sure to be a tight contest and one not to be missed. Finally, the youngest team, in both years established and in average player age, are the Croatian Queens. The Queens debuted in their home country last year with a team made up of school students. Little has been heard from the team in the last year but considering the strength of their brothers, the Croatian Knights, they cannot be ruled out.

The men’s side of the draw is being contested by 15 teams each divided into four groups. We’ve taken a look at each team’s prospects leading into tomorrow’s tournament.

England – 2015 placing Runners-Up – The English return looking to go one step further in 2016 after losing in the final to Denmark in Croatia. A lot of the squad returns for 2016 with some new faces from previous Dragonslayers squads. After the GB side won EC16 expect a strong challenge from the Dragonslayers who boast 14 of their side being 18-a-side European champions. Expect a quick and physical game from the Dragonslayers in coach, Rob Fielders, last tour in charge. Can they do the double in 2016 and send Rob out on a high note?

england-dragons1

Croatia – 2015 placing 3rd – The Croatians come into the tournament on the back of a strong Euro Cup 15 beating Ireland in the 3rd place playoff after losing to tournament winners Denmark in the semi-finals. Expect a bruising style of football from the Southern-Europeans looking to make the finals in 2016. Without Denmark, Ireland or England in their side of the draw they have to be considered strong contenders.

Ireland – 2015 placing 4th – The Irish have long been the powerhouse in European footy but 2015 and 2016 so far haven’t gone to script. Expect the Irish to come back hard at Euro Cup 16 and set the record straight. The Irish still consider themselves the best team outside of Australia and will be bringing their fast, running style to Portugal to right the wrongs of Euro Cup 15 and EC16. A mouth-watering potential semi-final between England and Ireland could make an interesting encounter.

irish-warriors

Germany – 2015 placing 5th – The Germans have been gathering steam since finishing 5th in Croatia. A strong performance at EC16, where they finished 3rd, will look to be built on when the Germans return to their usual 9-a-side format. Expect the Germans to bring a powerful team full of industry who will be well drilled and ready to go come Saturday.

France – 2015 placing 6th – The French come into Euro Cup ’16 after a disappointing Euro Cup ’15 where they expected better. The French will be looking to improve on that performance with their free-flowing game. In a tough draw with Ireland expect them to be challenging for the title in that group and a showdown with the winners of Pool D.

Austria – 2015 placing 7th – The Austrians had a tough Euro Cup ’15 being drawn with eventual champions Denmark before a tough game against France but recovered well to beat the Scottish to 7th place. The Austrians will continue to bring serious fight and endeavour to the tournament and should go well in a group with returning sides Italy and Wales.

austria1

Scotland – 2015 placing 8th –  The Scottish are coming they say. A belief from the north of the UK is that Scotland should be placing higher than 8th within Europe and they plan to use Euro Cup ’16 to prove this. With a number of GB hopefuls looking to push a claim towards the GB International Cup ’17 side expect them to come hard in a group they will look to win.

The Netherlands – 2015 placing 9th – The Dutch continue to improve and rise their standing within Europe. The boys from Holland have continued to improve their league and recently played their first full international against GB. The Dutch have plenty of skilled players and a return to the usual 9-a-side format should give them a good chance against England and the Crusaders.

The Crusaders – 2015 placing 10th – The Crusaders are something of an unknown entity. Made up of European players who don’t have a national team to play for, or weren’t selected, they could be anything. The biggest challenge for the Crusaders is always a mix of languages that have never played together before. Can they overcome this in 2016?

Norway – 2015 placing 11th – The Norwegians come into the tournament looking to replicate their neighbours in Sweden and Denmark and bring a stylish game to the field. A team looking to improve are in a tough group but don’t count them out now

Peace Team – 2015 placing 12th – The Jerusalem Peace Team Lions are back in for Euro Cup 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal. The Lions team manager, Avraham Benvenisty has provided us with an insight into their preparations leading up to this year’s tournament. The Jerusalem Peace Team Lions are taking part in their 2nd European Championship! The team was founded again a few months ago, with only 3 players that knew how to play the game (or that have even watched a game before), but recruitment brought us to the point of having 14 lads that know the rules, learned the game, and accomplished the goal of playing in the upcoming Euro Cup!

Wales – 2015 placing DNP – The Welsh return to the International fold to give us a full complement of the British Isles. An unknown entity with a lot of new faces, and some old, returning to the Euro Cup fold. The Welsh will be looking to create some upsets in their group and believe they have the team to be the story of the tournament.

Russia – 2015 placing DNP – The Russians are will relish the Portuguese sunshine although the heat could prove a factor for them. They play a tough and uncomprising style of football and could surprise a few early tomorrow.

Portugal – 2015 placing DNP – The host nation. They’ve managed to pull together side and will seriously consider themselves a chance to impress on their home turf. The recruitment of former Portugal Rugby champion, Antonio da Cunha, could prove a real coup. His 52 games of international rugby experience could see some sore bodies from the Roosters opponents.

Italy – 2015 placing DNP – the Italians are back and they’ll be putting everything they’ve got into jostling for a good finals place. With a total travelling party of 25 they’ll be sure to have the sidelines filled fans. Could really surprise a few tomorrow.

italy

 

Tournament previews by Lisa Wilson and Jason Hill.

For those who can’t make it to Lisbon be sure to tune into our live stream of all Pitch 1 match’s

http://afleurope.org/eurocup-2016-live/

Full schedule:

http://afleurope.org/eurocup-mens-draw-announced/

http://afleurope.org/womens-draw-for-eurocup-announced/

 

 

 

Jerusalem Peace Team Lions – Euro Cup 16′

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The Jerusalem Peace Team Lions are back in for Euro Cup 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal. The Lions team manager, Avraham Benvenisty has provided us with an insight into their preparations leading up to this year’s tournament.

The Jerusalem Peace Team Lions are taking part in their 2nd European Championship!
This time, we’re coming to Lisbon!
The team was founded again a few months ago, with only 3 players that knew how to play the game (or that have even watched a game before), but recruitment brought us to the point of having 14 lads that know the rules, learned the game, and accomplished the goal of playing in the upcoming Euro Cup!
So… What did the team go through over the past few months?
– No pitch for the first week of training’s
– Fasting of players for a month of training 
– No goals to practice properly 
– No Footy shoes for some players
– 1 broken cheekbone, one broken back, several broken teeth
But also:
– Hard training’s and workouts
– Practice matches (and winning a tournament in Israel!)
– Raising $15,000 for the Euro Cup
– Jews, Muslims and Christians, all fighting together over one odd looking ball!
So – 
EURO CUP 2016 LISBON, HEAR THE LIONS ROAR!
The Lions kick off their 2016 tournament against the Irish Warriors at 10am before taking on France and Russia later in the day.

EuroCup Mens Fixtures

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[event_list id=”5767″ title=”Pool A” team=”0″ league=”788″ season=”768″ venue=”0″ status=”default” date=”default” number=”6″ order=”default” columns=”event,teams,time,league,venue” show_all_events_link=”0″ align=”none”]

[event_list id=”5767″ title=”Pool B” team=”0″ league=”792″ season=”768″ venue=”0″ status=”default” date=”default” number=”6″ order=”default” columns=”event,teams,time,league,venue” show_all_events_link=”0″ align=”none”]

[event_list id=”5767″ title=”Pool C” team=”0″ league=”793″ season=”768″ venue=”0″ status=”default” date=”default” number=”6″ order=”default” columns=”event,teams,time,league,venue” show_all_events_link=”0″ align=”none”]

[event_list id=”5767″ title=”Pool D” team=”0″ league=”794″ season=”768″ venue=”0″ status=”default” date=”default” number=”5″ order=”default” columns=”event,teams,time,league,venue,article” show_all_events_link=”0″ align=”none”]

EuroCup Finals

16:30 – SF1: Winner Pool A v Winner Pool C – Pitch 1

16:30 – SF2: Winner Pool B v Winner Pool D – Pitch 3

18:30 – Grand Final – Pitch 1

 

EuroCup Bowl Finals

Teams Ranked 5 To 8 After Pool Stages

 

16:00 – SF1: A2 v C2 – Pitch 1

16:00 – SF2: B2 v D2 – Pitch 3

17:30 – Bowl Final – Pitch 1

 

EuroCup Plate Finals

Teams Ranked 9 to 15 After Pool Stages 

15:00 – QF1: A3 v C4 – Pitch 1

15:00 – QF2: B3 v A4 – Pitch 2

15:00 – QF3: C3 v B4 – Pitch 3

15:30 – SF1: D3 v QF2 Winner – Pitch 2

16:00 – SF2: QF1 Winner v QF3 Winner – Pitch 2

17:00 – Plate Final – Pitch 1

 

 

 

EuroCup Womens Draw

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[event_list id=”5767″ title=”Pool A” team=”0″ league=”795″ season=”768″ venue=”0″ status=”default” date=”default” number=”6″ order=”default” columns=”event,teams,time,league,venue” show_all_events_link=”0″ align=”none”]

[event_list id=”5767″ title=”Pool B” team=”0″ league=”796″ season=”768″ venue=”0″ status=”default” date=”default” number=”5″ order=”default” columns=”event,teams,time,league,venue” show_all_events_link=”0″ align=”none”]

Finals and Playoffs

16:00 – SF1: First Pool A v Runner Up Pool B – Pitch 1

16:00 – SF2: First Pool B v Runner Up Pool A – Pitch 3

17:30 – 5th Place: Third Pool A v Third Pool B – Pitch 2

18:00 – 3rd Place: Semi Final Losers – Pitch 3

18:00 – Grand Final – Pitch 1

 

Registrations Close Today! – Euro Cup 2016

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The 2016 Euro Cup in Lisbon, Portugal is only 4 weeks away! Don’t forget to register as a player, volunteer or coach/team manager before registration closes today.

Your registration fee this year INCLUDES all of the following:

  • Playing registration fee
  • Event t-shirt
  • 2-nights accommodation at either Hotel Amazonia or Praia Mar (price is for a triple room with two of your teammates)
  • Breakfast both Saturday and Sunday morning at the hotel
  • Wristband and free entry to the official after-party
  • Transfers to the after-party

Follow the link below.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2016-afl-europe-euro-cup-tickets-26639362049

Please contact Ben Durance at ben.durance@afleurope.org with any queries.

 

Euro Cup 2016 – Lisbon

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AFL Europe would like to assure all members of the AFL Europe community that the 2016 Euro Cup in Lisbon on the 8th of October will be going ahead as scheduled.

Despite the events of the past few days we have rallied and are doing all we can to make the 2016 installment of AFL Europe’s benchmark event, the Euro Cup, a great success.

We can’t wait to see you all in Lisbon and remember that if you haven’t registered please do so at the following link  http://afl-europe.eventbrite.co.uk. Registrations close Friday 9th of September.

Watch this space as the Euro Cup draw will be released in the coming days.

For any questions please do not hesitate to contact Ben Durance at ben.durance@afleurope.org.

2016 AFL Europe Euro Cup

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Welcome to the 2016 Euro Cup! This year’s tournament is being held in Lisbon, Portugal at the National Stadium Jamor.

Date: Saturday 8th October 2016

Venue: Lisbon, Portugal (National Stadium Jamor)

Map:

 Pitch Map

Registration:

Your registration fee of €110 + Eventbrite Fee, this year INCLUDES all of the following:

  • Playing registration fee
  • Event t-shirt
  • 2-night accommodation at either Hotel Amazonia or Praia Mar (price is for a triple room with two of your teammates)
  • Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday at your hotel
  • Wristband and free entry in the official after-party

Please note – if you wish to stay at the accommodation for longer (before or after the tournament), please contact us ASAP on admin@afleurope.org so we can organise this for you. Beds are limited so get in early. 

 

Eventbrite - 2016 AFL Europe Euro Cup

 

Volunteers:

Any volunteers who which to help during the event can register on Eventbrite AND contact AFL Europe at admin@afleurope.org. The price for Volunteers covers your accommodation and breakfast we will supply you with lunch, t-shirt and never ending gratitude.

Umpires:

All umpiring enquiries regarding Euro Cup can be made by contacting umpires@afleurope.org – registration is available on the Eventbrite link.

Information Pack:

2016 Pre-Tournament Booklet

Player Eligibility:

1) The Player was predominantly resident in the country of the league between 10 and 16 years of age subject to the qualification in sub clause A below.
2) The Player is a citizen of the country of the league at the time when the competition is conducted, subject to the qualification in sub clause A below.
3) The Player is not under suspension in that Player’s local competition during the period of the competition.
AFL Europe may on a case by case basis, waive the eligibility requirements if it is satisfied that a player is a bona fide resident in the country of the league and his participation would be in the best interests of the competition. Submissions in this regard must be made by lodging a Application for Eligibility Exemption – 2016. Any player who has previously obtained exemption must apply again in 2016 – please complete the form and email to admin@afleurope.org

Tournament Rules and Eligibility

Team Registration & Waiver:

The Eventbrite form makes it compulsory for all players, coaches and team officials to specify which team they are registration for/with however, all teams need to submit a Euro Cup 2016 – Team Entry Form before the cut-off date (Saturday 17th September) as well as a Euro Cup 2016 – Team List and a AFL Europe Euro Cup – Waiver and Release – all players must sign this form before registration on Friday 7th October 2016. This will ensure all information is received by us and we can then go ahead with the rankings and draw.