Australian Football International Cup

In 1991 Will McKenzie wrote to the AFL suggesting the staging of a World Cup. When the International Australian Football Council was formed in 1995 one of its aims was to 'establish and promote an official World Cup of Australian Football.' At the time it was thought that 2008, being the 150th anniversary of the game, was the appropriate date.

However, a proposal was received from the New Zealand Australian Football League (NZAFL), suggesting that the World Cup be brought forward to 2002. This was accepted by the Council and a Discussion Paper and Draft Regulations were drafted, which were circulated to the various national bodies.

An approach was then made to the AFL, asking for their support in staging the event. The AFL agreed on the basis that the event was renamed the International Cup. An Organising Committee was then appointed to mange the event, which was a great success.

Teams
Pool A: Papua New Guinea, Great Britain, Nauru, Japan, Denmark
Pool B: Samoa, USA, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, Canada

Results

Round 1
PNG 13.11 (89) d. Great Britain 2.2 (14)
Nauru 17.17 (119) d. Japan 1.8 (14)
USA 7.10 (52) d. Samoa 4.7 (31)
New Zealand 25.13 (163) d. South Africa 0.1 (1)
Ireland 7.14 (56) d. Canada 4.7 (31)

Round 2
PNG 9.15 (69) d. Denmark 3.5 (23)
Great Britain 9.11 (65) d. Nauru 8.11 (59)
Canada 4.11 (38) d. South Africa 1.5 (11)
Ireland 5.6 (36) d. Samoa 4.5 (29)
New Zealand 11.12 (78) d. USA 4.1 (25)

Round 3
Great Britain 7.3 (45) d. Japan 4.6 (30)
Denmark 5.10 (40) d. Nauru 3.9 (27)
Samoa 12.15 (87) d. South Africa 1.4 (10)
New Zealand 10.8 (68) d. Canada 2.6 (18)
Ireland 7.7 (49) d. USA 6.3 (39)

Round 4
Denmark 12.9 (81) d. Great Britain 4.2 (26)
PNG 23.9 (147) d. Japan 0.0 (0)
Ireland 15.8 (98) d. South Africa 3.3 (21)
USA 8.4 (52) d. Canada 1.1 (7)
New Zealand 10.10 (70) d. Samoa 5.8 (38)

Round 5
Denmark 10.6 (66) d. Japan 4.7 (32)
PNG 13.13 (91) d. Nauru 6.8 (44)
USA 20.12 (132) d. South Africa 0.4 (4)
Samoa 9.15 (69) d. Canada 0.5 (5)
Ireland 4.10 (34) d. New Zealand 3.2 (20)

Classification matches
New Zealand 3.7 (25) d. Denmark 2.4 (16)
Samoa 5.7 (37) d. Nauru 2.8 (20)
Canada 6.5 (41) d. Japan 5.2 (32)
USA 13.15 (93) d. Great Britain 2.3 (15)

Grand Final
Ireland 7.9 (51) d. PNG 2.7 (19)

Final Standings

1. Ireland
2. Papua New Guinea
3. New Zealand
4. Denmark
5. USA
6. Great Britain
7. Samoa
8. Nauru
9. Canada
10. Japan
11. South Africa