Swans. Now there's are masculine name! It's not as if the swan was the city's or the state's bird....Western Australia has the black swan I think.

Swans!!

Australia is bidding for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, but the AFL has just worked out that the event would virtually kill off their sport for that year. They would lose the MCG for up to 4 months and other stadiums around the country would also be unavailable.

Also, apparently FIFA has some sort of rule against other major events competing against the soccer in the country at the time.

The AFL is fighting back by stating Etihad Stadium will be off limits for the WC. This may sabotage the entire bid.

Australia is bidding for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, but the AFL has just worked out that the event would virtually kill off their sport for that year. They would lose the MCG for up to 4 months and other stadiums around the country would also be unavailable.

Also, apparently FIFA has some sort of rule against other major events competing against the soccer in the country at the time.

The AFL is fighting back by stating Etihad Stadium will be off limits for the WC. This may sabotage the entire bid.

Yeah, it's going to be a debacle. Alot of Aussie Rules clubs will go under if they miss a season....but the WC will bring money in to other interests....it may come down to who has the dollars to get their way.

I suspect the AFL will not be sacrificed. Heavens above, it's a religion in Melbourne, isn't it?

Yessss.... they do play it in Melbourne but not very well.

To see the sport played properly you have to head west, to Adelaide and Perth. At the moment, due to a surfeit of interstate playersin the team a Melbourne club holds the premiership but this aberration will be short lived.

The simplest solution to the WorldCup/AFL clash would be to play the World Cup in Melbourne, and make the Melbourne AFL clubs play a whole season of away games.

Before any Prictorians start to cry unfair let me point out that it would only make up for the away games they should have had, but never, since the inception of the AFL. I think Collingwood averages about 3 interstate games a year out of 22.

The NRL is now also starting to make noises about how much business (money) they will lose to a rival sport if the WC comes to Australia.

Is South Africa shutting down it's rugby stuff for the season next year? I seem to recall that they're pretty keen on that over there.

Is South Africa shutting down it's rugby stuff for the season next year? I seem to recall that they're pretty keen on that over there.

Southern hemisphere - men play sports

Northern hemisphere - they play games. (But seeing Bristol Women's XV I'm not sure of the 'weaker' sex)

I'd forgotten about this thread, I'll give it a bump.

I think Australia were unlucky last night. I mean, the ball did hit the Kewell's arm but it was coming at him at the speed of light.

I'd forgotten about this thread, I'll give it a bump.

I think Australia were unlucky last night. I mean, the ball did hit the Kewell's arm but it was coming at him at the speed of light.

Actually as we could see the ball it probably wasn't travelling at the speed of light, unless it was a mirage created by an illusionist in the crowd. Only a TV special shown after the comp will tell the tale

I'd forgotten about this thread, I'll give it a bump.

I think Australia were unlucky last night. I mean, the ball did hit the Kewell's arm but it was coming at him at the speed of light.

I agree with you. It was a lousy call... even if it was technically the right one.

The referees are screwing up the cup preliminaries. I wouldn't be surprised if the ref that called back the American goal against Slovenia wasn't on the take for some match fixing. It's been done quite regularly in matches.

The English side has been abysmal in their creativity and ball handling. From what they've done so far they don't deserve to go through. By contrast, it is a real shame that Cameroon got knocked out today. They play a far more interesting game with spot on passes and constant attack. They were unluckly to lose to the Danes. France and Spain have also been disappointing, but Spain should go through to the knockout stage. France will be lucky to do so.

Ok, the refractory prismatic effect of the camera lens defracted the photons in the image to slow it down so we could see the ball. (Photography terms most of you won't understand).

Was not technically right, the rule says that contact with the arm must be deliberate.

The England squad visited an orphanage on the outskirts of Soweto on

Saturday.The orphanage is for children up to 14 years old who have lost one

or both parents to AIDS.

Some of the children are HIV positive and several were born with an

addiction to drugs and are disabled.

"It is terrible to see human beings without joy in their eyes,without hope

for the future and despair written all over them" said Siphiwe Mbongwi aged

8.

Hope they took their checkbooks.

I think the Mexicans have never had such support when they played La Blouses, even the French were doing a Mexican wave.

The England squad visited an orphanage on the outskirts of Soweto on

Saturday.The orphanage is for children up to 14 years old who have lost one

or both parents to AIDS.

Some of the children are HIV positive and several were born with an

addiction to drugs and are disabled.

"It is terrible to see human beings without joy in their eyes,without hope

for the future and despair written all over them" said Siphiwe Mbongwi aged

8.

Are we allowed to get technical and talk about things like the offside rule?

Best thing soccer could do, is GET RID OF THE OFFSIDE RULE.

Hockey did, and what a difference it has made.

Faster games, higher scoring which has ellevated it over boring soccer.

The England squad visited an orphanage on the outskirts of Soweto on

Saturday.The orphanage is for children up to 14 years old who have lost one

or both parents to AIDS.

Some of the children are HIV positive and several were born with an

addiction to drugs and are disabled.

"It is terrible to see human beings without joy in their eyes,without hope

for the future and despair written all over them" said Siphiwe Mbongwi aged

8.

Times two!

Great reply!

Are we allowed to get technical and talk about things like the offside rule?

Best thing soccer could do, is GET RID OF THE OFFSIDE RULE.

Hockey did, and what a difference it has made.

Faster games, higher scoring which has ellevated it over boring soccer.

I couldn't agree more. I've said the same thing for years.

Also, I would move the penalty spot back to at least the edge of the box. That would give the goalie at least some chance of saving a shot.

Fantastic result for the Kiwis. Well done indeed.............

I was trine t'mind me own business but the manager, who is a german fellow said 'you must come to the bar at the hotel to support me now...' when the germans were playin' the serbs...the serbs had it all over the germans an' I said 'just look at the good defending on the serb side, that serb goal keeper is a monster...'

the german manager's breathing quickened and he said 'does this mean that you don't support me??? you ungrateful, middle aged american wretch???' he then began sobbing uncontrollably...

we got drunk but he was obviously a high falutin sissy that couldn't hold his liquor...later, I thought of ways to use his weakness to my advantage...

an' I was just wantin' to mind me own business...

Fantastic result for the Kiwis. Well done indeed.............

To think I went to bed, imagining the mayhem..... not very loyal, wot?

Yeah, "Didn't they do well?"...... as Bruce Forsyth, woulda sed.

Next game I will NOT be kipping off.

The game is at 0200 hrs, friday methinx..... cor

I also wish the Kiwis a congrats for beating an over confident, cocky Italian side. And, they did it by coming out and attacking instead of hanging back in defence hoping that the other team makes a mistake. They are currently tied with Italy for second place with 2 tiesand 2 goals. Unfortunately, they have to face Paraguay in their next game, and Paraguay was all over Slovakia for a 2 goal win.

I was trine t'mind me own business but the manager, who is a german fellow said 'you must come to the bar at the hotel to support me now...' when the germans were playin' the serbs...the serbs had it all over the germans an' I said 'just look at the good defending on the serb side, that serb goal keeper is a monster...'

the german manager's breathing quickened and he said 'does this mean that you don't support me??? you ungrateful, middle aged american wretch???' he then began sobbing uncontrollably...

we got drunk but he was obviously a high falutin sissy that couldn't hold his liquor...later, I thought of ways to use his weakness to my advantage...

an' I was just wantin' to mind me own business...

That's why my German manager does not discuss football.

He was happy a few months back when Schumacher returned to F!, but I don't hear him discussing Hamilton or Button.

Wimbledon coming up - wonder if Boris Becker will make it to the 'Old Farts' tent?

Ah well, back to commissioning Siemens bloody turbines ....

Portugal CLOBBERED North Korea this morning, 7 zip, and Chili squeaked by the Swiss 1 - 0 while the Swiss were a man down for most of the match. I hope Honduras knocks of Spain later this morning.

Certainly a World Cup for the "minnows".

New Zealand may be pushing water uphill in South Africa, but punching above their weight in the Argentine.

New Zealand won their third successive junior world rugby title with a sublime seven-try 62-17 win over an outclassed Australia in Rosario, Argentina, today (NZT).

New Zealand may be pushing water uphill in South Africa, but punching above their weight in the Argentine.

New Zealand won their third successive junior world rugby title with a sublime seven-try 62-17 win over an outclassed Australia in Rosario, Argentina, today (NZT).

If they are so good, why only give them a " Junior" trophy ?

Travel all that way and get dirty !!!!............ Bah humbug, I wouldn't go unless I got a big one.

Anyone on here see the Brazilian play basketball and then joke with the ref about it...................?

And they say Cricket's bent,

It's a big sport in the Philippines as well, I'd certainly be careful having a punt there.

It's a big sport in the Philippines as well, I'd certainly be careful having a punt there.

Punting is indeed relaxing, but I agree the heat, humidity and general poor condition of the Philippine waterway system is a tad off putting.