South West Field Officer Team Leader, Ben Carter, reckons he’s used to dealing with unusual phone calls – but the call he got in early September certainly took his breath away as it came from the coach of the English Aussie Rules Football Team.
Ben plays for the Chippenham Redbacks in the Aussie Rules UK Football League. This Season they became Southern League Champions beating the Bournemouth Daemons in the Final.
Ben was called up to play for the England Dragonslayers against Wales in Cardiff and, although his usual position is ‘Ruckman’ - the holding position in the middle of the field - he was used as a utility player in Cardiff moving from defence to attack wherever the team needed extra cover.
Aussie Rules Football is a 9-a-side game played on rugby sized grounds. Each goal is worth 6 points and the eventual score England 54 Wales 49 went right to the wire.
It was, said Ben, a very close - and full contact – match and the next stop will be the English defence of their European Championship title in Croatia.
“Representing my country has been a dream come true and I will carry the battle scars with pride,” said Ben.
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