Groups Drawn As NFL Flag Teams Prepare For Kickoff

Two-time reigning Thailand will face the United States along with the event’s three European teams – Austria, England and Spain – in Group B of the eighth annual NFL grassroots event. Canada and Mexico were drawn alongside China, Japan and Korea in Group A at a welcome dinner held at the city’s Aubudon Swamp Exhibit.

The opening games at 8am on Thursday, August 9, pitch the Adachi Gauken Wild Bears from Japan against Los Diablitos from Mexico and Canada’s Steeltown Steelers against Sungseo Middle School from Korea. The Woodham Warriors from England meet Miami’s Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center team from the United States.

‚It is exciting because we all wanted to come here and play the Americans, so we’re happy we are in the same group as them,” said English head coach Jon Tait. ‚We know Thailand will be strong and there really will not be any weak teams in the entire competition. Whatever happens we are going to enjoy ourselves.”

The last time the MAR JCC from Miami met Thailand’s Chaopraya Wittayakom Middle School was in a thrilling championship game in Beijing, China, in 2005 when the Thais triumphed on the final play of the game. The teams will meet again at 9am on Thursday.

‚We’re thrilled,” said USA coach David Fried. ‚To win championships you have to beat the best and we have back-to-back challenges to begin the tournament. We have prepared well and now the team is ready to get on the field and start playing.”

The FFWC kicks off at the New Orleans practice facility in Metairie on Thursday, August 9 at 8am and resumes on Friday, August 9 from 8am to 12pm. The top two teams emerging from group play will contest the championship game at 3.30pm on Friday before the Saints take on the Buffalo Bills in the Louisiana Super Dome.

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