Handball World Cup 19 - Everything Thread

by **Soltsteed** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 7:33 pm

Welkom tö de Soltsteedisch Gemeinweud. Welcome to the 19th Handball World Cup.

Players, coaches, fans, journalists, gamblers, coconuts, unwitting victims, ladies and gentlemen: welcome to the long-awaited nineteenth edition of the Handball World Cup. Set in the backdrop of débutant nation Soltsteed, this edition promises surprise, intrigue, ɪ ɴ ᴛ ᴇ ɴ s ɪ ᴛ ʏ and a metric shitton of goals.

Can Red Blackiland take a third straight title? Will Costa de Ouro return to their championship ways? Will a sleeping giant finally emerge victorious? Or will a new nation rise to prominence? Only time can tell: the Handball Werldemästerheid has now begun.

Groups
The top three teams in each group advance to the knockout phase; group winners receive a bye to the quarterfinals.

Group A
Soltsteed
Kecrazia
Unified Sunrise Islands
Costa de Ouro
Nassau-Hessen

Group B
Sphinxatopd
Drawkland
Abanhfleft
Gadirya
Juvencus

Group C
Royal Kingdom of Quebec
United States of Devonta
Savojarna
Furbish Islands
Mattijana

Group D
Red Blackiland
Natanians and Nosts
New Lusitania and the Algarves
Ethane
Qasden

Schedule and cut-offs
Cut-offs will be around 20:00-22:00 EDT (00:00-02:00 GMT next day; this page may be helpful if you’re bad with time zones), with results following shortly after. Any changes in the schedule will be posted here in advance.

Tuesday, 4 April - Thread posted
Thursday, 6 April - Group draw

Monday, 10 April - Matchday 1: 2v5; 3v4 (1 bye)
Wednesday, 12 April - Matchday 2: 5v3; 1v2 (4 bye)
Friday, 14 April - Matchday 3: 3v1; 4v5 (2 bye)
Monday, 17 April - Matchday 4: 1v4; 2v3 (5 bye)
Wednesday, 19 April - Matchday 5: 4v2; 5v1 (3 bye)

Friday, 21 April - First knockout round
Sunday, 23 April - Quarterfinals
Tuesday, 25 April - Semifinals
Thursday, 27 April - Final and third place match

Roleplay permissions
This is really standard stuff, so I perhaps need not say anything else. But just in case, it’s so your opponent doesn’t do anything you don’t want them to if they RP before you. Again, standard stuff.

Code: Select all: If my opponent RPs first, I give him permission to: [b]Choose my goalscorers:[/b] Yes/No [b]Godmod scoring events:[/b] Yes/No [b]RP injuries to my players:[/b] Yes/No [b]Godmod injuries to my players:[/b] Yes/No [b]Hand out yellow cards to my players:[/b] Yes/No [b]Hand out red cards to my players:[/b] Yes/No [b]Godmod other events:[/b] Yes/No

Edit history
6 April: Logo and group stage draw added
10 April: Group stage schedule fixed; link to rankings added

by **Soltsteed** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 7:33 pm

Sᴏʟᴛsᴛᴇᴇᴅ
Gastheirsinformatie — Host Information
Dein Giid tö de Gemeinweud — Your Guide to the Commonwealth

Quick facts
Country code: SOL
Nickname: The Stallions (De Hingsten)
National anthem: March of Triumph (Triomphmarsch)
Capital: St Christopher
Largest settlement: Port Michael
National language: Soltsteedish
Population: 68,776,489

Situated on the eastern end of the continent of Andarica in north-western Esportiva, Soltsteed is a bicultural nation of 68.8 million people. Once home to nearly every sort of people you could imagine, Soltsteed is today divided into 31 counties, which are grouped into three traditional provinces: the snowy Anglophone Walland in the north, the rolling and bustling Saxland in the south-east and the lake-dotted and fiercely independent Sealand in the south-west.

Emerging from a bloody civil war between a brutal fascist regime, communist insurgents and liberal democratic opposition, the reign of William VII marked a pivotal transition of the Soltsteedish nation from away from autocracy and represented one of the biggest and most rapid transformations of society in Soltsteedish history, becoming a democratic parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the model of the Westminster system, noted for its generous civil rights and political freedoms.

Soltsteed is marked by its unique blend of Germanic and Greco-Roman culture, its booming gambling industry, its scenic diversity and its love of all things that are cheese. Soltsteed’s wealth of agricultural products and luxury goods have made the Commonwealth one of the economic powerhouses of northern Esportiva and the careful preservation and restoration of its natural landmarks and ancient sites undertaken by His Majesty’s Government make Soltsteed a premier tourist destination.

How do I get to and travel around Soltsteed?
Soltsteed is easily accessible via plane, with King William VII International Airport outside St Christopher and Ändras Mäthjassen Memorial Airport of Port Michael possessing innumerable connections to the outside world. A well-developed system of roads and trains connects almost every part of the country and local metro systems make cars near unnecessary for all but the most wandering travellers. Games have been scheduled and assigned to venues so as to make travelling between cities unnecessary for the group stage and plenty of time will be provided for teams to travel to knockout phase games.

Train services between St Christopher and Port Michael and from the two to Cherrygrove and Heekdorf are readily available and are relatively quick and comfortable. For those who prefer to drive, motorways between the cities are well-maintained and generally safe; for travel between Cherrygrove and Heekdorf, domestic flights are available through Cherrygrove International Airport and South Cape International Airport.

What and where can I eat?
Soltsteeders are proud of their local cuisine. In contrast to most Germanic cultures, spices and strong flavours are prevalent throughout Soltsteedish cooking, largely due to the influence of Romance nations. Seafood and meat are staples of Soltsteedish cuisine, commonly combined with herbs, vinegar, wine, bread and cheese. Salted and pickled foods are widespread throughout the nation, traditionally deriving from the need to store perishable foods in the pre-refrigeration era. Bakers’ confections such as pastries, tarts and cakes are staple desserts across the country, as are chocolate and candy; ice cream is commonly eaten as a last course or a midday treat, especially during the summer months, and is traditionally accompanied by fruits such as strawberries, cherries or oranges and a cup of coffee.

Restaurants will not be hard to find for the hungry soul: eateries are a common sight in cities and along motorways. Major cities are home to restaurants serving food from all over the world and fusion food places are not uncommon. Global juggernauts such as pizza and hamburgers have found their way into the Soltsteedish diet and are readily available to the hungry tourist, in both fast and gourmet form.

Are there any religious services available?
Places of worship will not be hard to come by. Soltsteed has historically been dominated by Christians, who make up a self-reported 60% of the population. Soltsteeders have historically adhered to Arianism, which is generally considered heretical in mainstream Christendom. However, if you are part of a mainstream Christian branch, places of worship will not be hard to find. Followers of other prominent religions will also find little trouble honouring their traditions, with synagogues, mosques and temples present in major cities. Above all, it is important to note that religion, though it plays an important role in the lives of many Soltsteeders, is considered a private and intimate matter and proselytism is heavily frowned upon in Soltsteed.

What cultural norms should I observe?
Soltsteeders are generally friendly and polite and are not afraid to help a tourist who may be lost. It is considered immensely rude and pretentious to refuse an offer of help or a gesture of hospitality, such as a complementary beverage (typically coffee) or an offer to cover a metro ticket. Tipping is almost unheard of in Soltsteed, especially when it comes to government officials, who are keen on avoiding bribery and not being perceived as corrupt. It is always better to meet offers of assistance with sincere thanks and a handshake than money.

Soltsteeders also pride themselves on their values of egalitarianism. Racism and sexism are highly frowned upon in Soltsteedish society. Neither women nor men are subject to significant legal or social restrictions, while public displays of affection among couples, same-sex or opposite-sex, do not usually raise eyebrows in major cities, though rural areas tend to be less approving of LGBT individuals. Nonetheless, if you are subject to abuse based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation or a host of other characteristics, Soltsteedish law is very much on your side.

Will I be safe?
Daylight crime is practically unheard of in Soltsteed, with tourist areas being especially safe. Likewise, if you’re going to a restaurant or bar and there are a lot of other people around, you will be perfectly safe. If you must be out at night alone, it’s safe on major roads and in the downtowns of cities. The danger lies in the rural parts of the country, off the main roads. There are opportunist thieves who are not afraid to strip you of your belongings before letting you go. Murder and violent crime rates are extremely low and, if you are a victim of a violent crime, police and ambulances run with great speed and the national healthcare system will cover a free accident/emergency visit for foreign patients.

Will I be able to communicate with the locals?
Soltsteed is constitutionally a bilingual nation, with the Saxon Soltsteedish language and the Soltsteedish dialect of English co-official throughout the Commonwealth. Anglophones predominantly reside in Walland, forming a majority in the counties of Berry, Forestia, Hartley, Ely, the Free State and the Palatinate, as well as the Northern and Western Marches; the rest of the country is traditionally Soltsteedish-speaking and greatly appreciate efforts to speak the local tongue. However, nearly all Soltsteeders are at least bilingual, speaking both Soltsteedish and English, and many more can speak at least another language. If you can speak English, you should have few problems getting around; if you speak French, Spanish or German, translators will be easy to come by.

What is the weather like?
The weather is generally pleasant in Soltsteed, if not somewhat wet. Winters can get particularly cold and snowy, especially in the mountains and the north, but otherwise, Soltsteed has a relatively temperate climate. As a rule of thumb, the lowlands of the south are warmer and wetter, while the north and the mountains are colder and marginally drier. St Christopher is infamous for its tempestuousness, changing rapidly from one day to the next, while Heekdorf is known to be very, very wet. Cherrygrove is prone to get cold in the winter, but is remarkably temperate throughout the rest of the year, and Port Michael is kept moderately warm year-round by the St Andrew Bay.

Are there sensitive politics that I should avoid?
Soltsteeders are open about discussing their country’s problems, but it is generally a bad idea to get involved. Soltsteeders are fiercely independent and resent even the perception of foreign meddling in Soltsteedish politics. Criticising the country or its customs is ill-advised and disparaging the royal family or government officials will be met with cold reception, even among those ideologically opposed to the person you are criticising; mild criticism is reluctantly accepted, though Soltsteeders are ready to beat you down in a political debate if you are particularly vocal, especially if you have no clue what you are talking about.

How is the civil rights situation?
Soltsteed is generally commended for its civil rights record, which has flourished as a reaction against the domineering fascist regime preceding the modern Constitutional Era. Freedom of speech, religion and the press are held dearly by the populace and people in religious, ethnic, racial or other minorities enjoy innumerable protections under Soltsteedish law. Legal due process is generous towards the accused and the political and legal system are noted for their openness and cleanliness. Capital punishment is constitutionally banned, same-sex relationships have full legal recognition and rights, drug policy is notoriously lax and public nudity is legal, though highly uncommon out of respect for others.

Venues
The 19th Handball World Cup will be held at four venues in four cities across Soltsteed. Mostly dual-purpose basketball arenas and handball halls, the venues range in size from 13 to 28 thousand spectators and will each host the games of one group, as well as three knockout matches.
St Christopher — Köninglik Sporthall
To host: Group A, Play-in game 1, Quarterfinal 1, Final
Capacity: 28,600 | Owners: Köninglik Soltsteedisch Olympiksebund

Of course, none other than the capital city would be host to the central venue of the tournament, both figuratively and literally. Home to the government, the royal family and some of the biggest attractions in Soltsteed, St Christopher is an ancient city in the modern era, giving visitors plenty of sightseeing to do. The heart and soul of Soltsteed is in the Romanesque settlement, with the borough of Grandstrasse serving as the sporting mecca of the Commonwealth, home to numerous sporting clubs, the Köning Wilheum VII Nationaalpark, the Köninglik Soltsteedisch Olympiksebund and, of course, the Köninglik Sporthall, the home of Soltsteedish basketball and handball.
Cherrygrove — Walland Sport Centre
To host: Group B, Play-in game 2, Quarterfinal 2, Semifinal 1
Capacity: 24,900 | Owners: Cherrygrove City Sporting Club

The third-largest city in Soltsteed, county town of Berry and de facto capital of Anglophone Soltsteed, Cherrygrove has grown from a backwater city to a bustling centre of culture, commerce, cuisine and technology. Though frigid in the winter, Cherrygrove is downright pleasant in spring, famed for the cherry blossoms that give the city its name. The avant-garde city is home to some of the premier museums, classiest boutiques and finest eating establishments in the nation, with the Walland Sport Centre, usually known as Orange Communications Centre for sponsorship purposes, located on the shore of the city among Soltsteed’s great theatres.
Heekdorf — Greenbeck Gardens
To host: Group C, Play-in game 3, Quarterfinal 3, Third place match
Capacity: 13,300 | Owners: Heekdorf University

The smallest host city, Heekdorf is a bustling university town set amid the backdrop of Soltsteed’s stunning southern cape noted for its sprawling brick walkways. Resting atop the cliffs that mark the south-east coastline, Heekdorf is, more than any other host city, a natural wonder, with its young and cosmopolitan population giving it a wide array of restaurants, bars and clubs to visit. The beauty of County Greenbeck’s calm, rolling hills and the many gardens of the city provide a genuine contrast to the breakneck pace of handball taking place in the smallest of the venues, the Greenbeck Gardens, an unassuming structure in the north of the city owned by the local university.
Port Michael — Mikäelporthall
To host: Group D, Play-in game 4, Quarterfinal 4, Semifinal 2
Capacity: 27,200 | Owners: Red Star Kalsden Sportassociatie

Anything St Christopher can do, Port Michael can do better. The financial and cultural capital of Soltsteed—not to mention its largest city—Port Michael is a sprawling, cosmopolitan metropolis on the St Andrew Bay, set against the imposing mountains of King’s County to the north. Between the hectic shopping district, the sleepy underground city, the imposing skyscrapers and the bustling casinos, teams would struggle to be at a loss for things to do when not at Michaeltown borough’s Mikäelporthall, the second-largest of the venues at the Handball World Cup.

De Soltsteedisch Nationaal Handballtaam — The Soltsteedish National Handball Team

Coach: Mäthjas Albrechtssen (55)
Assistant Coach: Christine Andersen (49)
Physio: Martin Tiller (38)

Starters:
GK–Alexandre Tiberius (25)
LW–Jan-Martin Pieters (30)
LB–Reinhard Davidssen (32)
CB–John Thomas (22)
RB–Michelle Carpenter (27)
RW–Samuel van de Camp (25)
P–Erik Sant-George (30)

Reserves:
GK–Victor Saul (22)
GK–Tim Orrin (22)
LW–Stephen Sant-Marie (27)
LB–Sarah Johnson (30)
CB–Mickel Gregorie (21)
RB–Aren van Dal (20)
RW–Alexis Armstrong (22)
P–Will Brady (23)

RP permissions: Your permissions are mine, short of death or career-ending injuries.

by **Qasden** » Tue Apr 04, 2017 8:41 pm

Since the era of HWC17 in RK Quebec, the Qasden Vans have proven to be one of the most intimidating newbies on the block. Debuting in the said tournament, TQ quickly gained a reputation after taking second place over Thatius and St Trinians. Last time, in Drawkland, the Vans bashed their way to the semifinals of the tournament's proper. Both times, their journey had ended with dismal defeats to back-2-back champions, Red Blackiland. However, a win over another fierce newcomer, Juvencus, in the bronze match of HWC18 has sparked a potential revolution towards Qad Handball. With Coach Mayward, AC Day, and Manager Sols returning with their group of elites, time can only tell the true champion of it all. Can Qasden's confidence lead them to their second athletic title of the year? Will Red Blackiland triumph once more and 3-peat a historic title? The grove runs deep, and only one path will be true to its name. Ladies and gentlemen, cats and kitsunes of the multiverse, here is your Qasden Vans for the 19th Handball World Cup, hosted by the nation of Soltsteed!

Nickname: The Vans (Turkish Vans)

Roster

GK
1- David Oxten;24
14- Jayson Pygmi;29
15- Figorous Matriarch;18

LB
2- Dareis Matthews;26
13- Lêna Tuskaes;21
16- Wushan Fokheim;19

CB
3- Harbour Kettles;31
12- Mark Adden;29
17- Perry Sicil;28

RB
4- Felicity Mèrel;24
11- Kason Crinova;28
18- Jackel Bakathair;33

LW
5- Nathaniel Alouette;33
10- Travis McCarsby;26
19- Alistairus Volni;20

CF
6- Gregory Pyxis;27;Captain
9- Jaren Ghoss;30
20- Vega Lopps;23

RW
7- Marko Qoltz;22
8- Dane Bômen;34
21- Tori Kidd;19

Other
Coach- Esan Mayward;56
Assistant Coach- Jessie Day;38
Team Doctor- Shoebow Almdi;49
Designated Generic Fan- Nottaman Nequiniswear;~~15 days~~ 32
Manager- Zachary Sols;64

Style: +4

RP Permissions- Anything except game-missing injuries/deaths/suspensions/etc.

works? · by **Abanhfleft** » Wed Apr 05, 2017 7:46 am

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ABANHFLEFT
NATIONAL HANDBALL TEAM

This is the sixth time that Abanhfleft will be participating in an international handball tournament. Handball is quite an obscure sport in the Democratic Republic, with no professional league established, and the handball department in the Commission on Sports and Games is occupied only by two men working out of a plastic table. But no matter about its obscurity within the country itself. Handball has got a few lifelong and die-hard practitioners scattered throughout the country, and the Commission has managed to get hold of all fourteen of them, along with a handball coach to lead them, and they are now about to embark on a journey to claim some honor for both their sport and their country once again.

BASIC INFORMATION
Name of nation: Democratic Republic of Abanhfleft
Demonym: Fleftic
Team colors: Blue, orange, and green
Style modifier (if applicable): +2.0
Head coach: Robson Juarez (51 y/o, Abanhfleft)

STARTERS
GK: Eugene Haak (31 y/o, male)
RB: Alfonso Imler (29 y/o, male)
CB: Myra Mathis (26 y/o, female)
LB: Tania Spoor (28 y/o, female)
RW: Lorraine Gregory (23 y/o, female)
CF: Janna McHale (29 y/o, female)
LW: Lamont Lamberti (27 y/o, male)

SUBSTITUTES
GW: Frances Dawson (27 y/o, male)
RB: Kathryn Moody (26 y/o, female)
CB: Rocco Lyford (30 y/o, male)
LB: Brock Spiva (30 y/o, male)
RW: Emma Saling (26 y/o, female)
CF: Farley Goretzka (25 y/o, male)
LW: Carmela Hetherington (28 y/o, female)

RP PERMISSIONS
Anything except killing is fair game, although if you've got something wild in mind, drop a TG to me first, and we'll talk about it.

by **Red Blackiland** » Wed Apr 05, 2017 10:33 am

and

Presents the Red Blackiland and current HWC champions roster for the Handball World Cup 19!

GKs

Marco 'Gegenhard' Palossi - 1 [Initial Team]
Frederico 'Carius' Enrivera - 23

RBs

Julio 'Merescher' Beromoto - 4 [Initial Team]
Marcelo 'Lenwardsch' Vangassi - 25

CBs

Diego 'Gusemann' Niassi - 3 [Initial Team]
Luan 'Bogaretz' Meireles - 16

LBs

Fernando 'Mengaarden' Perilhes - 5 [Initial Team]
Pablo 'Haubschmann' Mendes - 17

RWs

Julius Chadwick - 7 [Initial Team]
Thomas Weinrich - 17

CFs

Nicolas 'Dighertz' Faripodi - 9 [Initial Team]
Luiz 'Herlitz' Bertoglio - 19

LWs

Ernesto 'Schwerlin' Paredes - 10 [Initial Team]
Martín 'Schwartzmann' Figueroa - 20

Style : +3

If my opponent RPs first, I give him permission to:
Choose my goalscorers Y
Godmod scoring events Y
RP injuries to my players Y (Limit One Per Match)
Godmod injuries to my players N
Hand out yellow cards to my players Y
Hand out red cards to my players N
Godmod other events Y (But advise it early,but if it will be anything that won't be kill or anything will be good)

by **Drawkland** » Wed Apr 05, 2017 3:00 pm

Drawkland National Handball Team

They're apparently sorta good

Hand Corps 19
Head Coach Sean Snivac

##  Ps  G  Name            

 0  GK  M  Roman Anforse
10  GK  F  Rachel Smith

 5  LB  M  Drew Whittman
12  LB  M  Harry Nephara

 4  CB  F  Ellen Maggio
13  CB  M  Dylan Greer

16  RB  M  Julius Warren
14  RB  M  Zack Kingston

 8  LW  M  Wyatt Johnson
18  LW  M  Abram Snivac

 1  CF  F  MacKenzie Skeed
21  CF  M  Teamus Thompson

 7  RW  M  Iain Snivac
17  RW  M  Craig Coles

If my opponent RPs first, I give him permission to:
    Choose my goalscorers: Yes
    Godmod scoring events: Yes
    RP injuries to my players: Yes
    Godmod injuries to my players: Yes
    Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
    Hand out red cards to my players: Yes
    Godmod other events: Yes

Pretty much don't destroy my team or nation, thx

Style Mod: +3.5

by **Juvencus** » Thu Apr 06, 2017 2:23 am

Juven National Handball Team

The Gli attaccanti performed exceptionally well in the last edition of the Handball World Cup at our Sonnelian brothers in Drawkland, finishing 4th after losing to Costa de Ouro which were the eventual runners up as well as the strong Qasden squad in the 3 place play offs. The Gli attaccanti managed a draw on their debut against a mighty 5th placed globally Abahnfleft side, at the following matches the team managed to beat West-East Timor and Ethane qualifying for playoff matchups due to a point scoring difference with Abahnfelft. Juvencus went on to beat Felix in the process and faced Natanians and Nosts in the Quarter Final. Then downfall occured, a loss to Costa De Ouro destroyed the mentality of the Juven squad who went on to lose to Qasden 23-22. The squad only had some minor changes, the ideology remains the same, an offensive team. Here's the official squad:

Basic lineup
GK: Nicodemo Somma
Centre: Alfredo di Caprio
LB: Aurelio Azzarà
RB: Francesco Negrini
CR: Liborio Calabrese
LW: Nico Alamani
RW: Feliciano Coiro

Substitutes
GK: Taddeo Speziale
GK: Pasquale Uccello
Centre: Livio Maria
Centre: Carmelo Bicchieri
LB: Battista Cavalcante
LB: Ottone Ricchetti
RB: Bonaventura Aleppo
RB: Sesto Franzese
CR: Amando Bellini
CR: Rodolfo Vitali
LW: Frediano Vinci
LW: Corrando Sorrentino
RW: Vasco Amerighi
RW: Desiderio Greco

Coaching Staff
Main Coach: Frederico Di Stefano
Assistant Coach 1: Gianluigi Belleronte
Assistant Coach 2: Crescenzo Bellomo
Doctor 1: Colombano Mondugno
Doctor 2: Ippolito Trucco
Dietologist: Elia Romero

General facts
Kit colours(Home): Red with gold stripes
Kit colours(away): Navy blue with a diagonal teal line
Handballing history/National team history: Only amateur handball has been played in Juvencus, the people weren't much into it until recently, handball's increasing in popularity after being the second most popular sport, after association football, which dominates the country's sports landscape. The process in picking the first national team was settled in a competition with many experienced raters for handball which picked the best of each's position according to their personal and team performance. The national team is a relatively new phenomenon in Juvencus, but in the amateur history of the players, the team plays ultra offensive and it's one of the most aggressive teams in the competition, despite the defensive culture of Juvencus. This explains the nickname of the team "Gli attaccanti".(This means my style modifier is +4)

If my opponent RPs first, I give him/her permission to:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes, but some of them, let the opponent focus on my RP so he/she sees who I'm routing for the most to score
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: No, unless I give them permission
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: With permission only
Godmod other events: No
Style Modifier: +4

by **New Lusitania and the Algarves** » Thu Apr 06, 2017 4:57 am

FEDERAÇÃO LUSITANA DE ANDEBOL
Copa Mundial de Andebol

STARTERS
GK: Miguel Antunes (22 y/o - Sporting CL)
LB: João Leal (20 y/o - AC Ultramar)
CB: Simão Taleijko de Rodrigues (18 y/o - Sporting CL)
RB: Arnaldo Meireles (28 y/o - AC Porto)
LW:: Vìtor Filhozes (26 y/o - Açoreana)
RW: Pedro Roque (22 y/o - ABC Braga)
CF: Vasco Aboim (23 y/o - Sporting CL)

SUBS & RESERVES
GK: Rui Caixinha (21 y/o - Sobralinho)
LB: Raquel de Boura (24 y/o [F] - Vera Cruz AC)
CB: Bruno Silveira (22 y/o - Sporting Farense)
RB: Tomás Lião (20 y/o - ABC Braga)
LW: Paulo Machado (17 y/o - Sevilha AC)
RW: Sara Vilarinho (22 y/o - Real Canterfórdia Women)
CF: João Brito (19 y/o - Aveirense)

Tactic : +2

If my opponent RPs first, I give him permission to:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes - Nothing serious though
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes - ^
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes
Godmod other events: Yes

by **Natanians and Nosts** » Thu Apr 06, 2017 10:06 pm

Natanians and Nosts' National Handball Team

Starters

#	Name	 	 	        Age	Height	Position
1	Ion Paulus Ionescu	 	21	1,80	Goalkeeper
3	Claudius Mihai Stefanescu  	20	1,77	Centre-back
6	Mihai Appius Silva	  	20	1,80	Left wing
8	Ápio Ion Santos	 	        21	1,78	Left back
7	Johann Mihail Smith	 	22	1,78	Right back
2	Michael Johann Ionescu	        23	1,87	Right wing
11	Ion Iulius Munteanu	  	22	1,90	Pivot

Captain's name is in blue

Bench

#	Name	 	 	        Age	Height	Position
12	Ion Carolus Constantinescu	26	1,75	Goalkeeper
4	Marcus Iohanis Ioanescu	        22	1,76	Centre-back
5	Constantinu Mihai Souza	        19	1,78	Half back
9	Teodosiu Mihai Sousa	        28	1,80	Left wing
14	Alfonso Carolus Silva	        24	1,89	Right wing
10	Afonso Lars Santos	 	22	1,95	Pivot
13	Hans MIhai Larsson	 	23	1,92	Goalkeeper

Starting position

If my opponent RPs first, I give him permission to:
Choose my goalscorers: No
godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: No
godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: No
godmod other events: No

by **Juvencus** » Thu Apr 06, 2017 11:00 pm

Group stages crucial, Di Stefano says

The groups are set, Juvencus is in group B alongside Sphinxatopd, our Drawk brothers, meeting up again with the Fleftics as well as playing against Gadirya. Juvencus, finishing 4th last tournament, managed to climb up all the way to the 19th spot globally, placing it on the 3rd pot of the tournament.
There's 2 teams that are major threats to the Gli Attaccanti climbing all the way up to the first place. First, it's Drawkland. The 13th highest ranked team in the world, they went on to the Quarter finals after being unbeaten in the group stages, as well as the playoff game, the team that beat them were eventual champions Red Blackiland, who seem to have barely managed to get the victory with a 24-22 scoreline which makes the Drawkland team quite a big threat.
Then, it's the team the Gli attaccanti first faced, it's Abanhfleft. The Fleftics are surely looking for a revenge after that devastating tie they had against Juvencus on the opening matchday of the previous tournament, however a more experienced Juven side is ready to beat the odds to victory.
There's 2 teams that pose a minor threat and should be looked out. First it's Gadirya. Lower ranked sides are always to be looked as they may catch an upset victory or tie over the bigger competitors, a team like Gadirya seems like a team that could pose a severe threat if not properly handled.
Then it's Sphinxatopd. The team's playing in this tournament for the first time so their players may have a more boosted morale and more willingness to participate in the tournament and go as far as possible, an energized squad is all that is needed to stop a team such as this.

"These group stages may be harder than last time. We're facing Abanhfleft once more which means we're into big trouble if we don't manage to play right, Then there's Drawkland, a solid squad, really tall players, it's gonna be really hard for us to get the ball against them, we may need to use our offensiveness as well as agility to avoid them. These group stages are quite crucial and Juvencus is always seeking that warm number 1 spot and an assure qualification to the elimination stages and maybe a little better playing than last time." said Frederico Di Stefano, the team's main coach.

Predictions:

Prediciting is always part of the game, it may add some excitement to it and it's always fun to experiment with a team's skill. Here are the predictions for group B.

Juvencus: The Holy Empire managed to do great in the last tournament, finishing 4th, however, things are sort of rougher for them this time of the year since they have to face tougher opponents as well as avoid upsets to lower ranked teams, if they avoid most of them, qualification is assured, the game against Drawkland may be the decider for the 2nd place spot. Prediction: 2nd or 3rd
Abanhfleft: A pretty mediocre tournament for a team this big, Abanhfleft finished on the quarterfinals last season, however they remain quite the strong team as they remain 5th in the world this season. Games against Drawkland and Juvencus may be the hardest ones of the group stages, but it's hard to imagine that either Sonnelian side will get a point off of them. Prediction: 1st
Drawkland: The Drawk squad were hosts of the last tournament and managed to do quite the performance in their home turf, finishing in the quarterfinals last time giving some light of hope to their home fans for this time. As previously stated, the match against the Gli attaccanti will be the decider for the number 2 spot. Prediction: 2nd or 3rd
Gadirya: The team hasn't achieved much, but they may get their first victory this time of the year. They've got some experience but not too much, they'll find it hard to face opponents like Abanhfleft, Juvencus or Drawkland, but they're quite able to get the upset. Prediction: 4th
Sphinxatopd: Relative newcomers to world handball, they're in for a rough welcome in this tournament. Not much is expected from the Sphinx squad and they're in for a landslide to higher ranked teams. Prediction: 5th

One thing's for certain, the group stages are going to be the most relaxed, yet exciting part of the tournament and as the teams progress, relaxation reduces as the teams will be facing high stakes. Some of them will be facin gthese high stakes for the first time and may crumble under pressure, while the more experienced ones may not. In tournmanets such as this, nothing's taken for granted.

by **Savojarna** » Fri Apr 07, 2017 8:37 am

SavojarSports.sj - inside reports from all Savojarna
The Journalist's Guide to Savojar Handball

HANDBALL IN SAVOJARNA

Handball is a very popular sport among young Savojars, and a lot of people, both men and women, play it in school. However, a lot of them are hockey players looking for an alternative to their sport in the summer, therefore many talented handballers get lost around 15 years of age because they focus on hockey. Savojarna has a professional handball league with 16 teams, most of them concentrated in Vestrholmen and Ejana. In Ejana, handball is seen as the regional sport and the island takes great pride in its team of EHK Storevik. However, due to the island's smallness and relative remoteness, most NT players come from Vestrholmen. In Sumanen and Russica Savojar, handball is less traditionally popular and has to fight for resources against rugby, floorball and volleyball. Nevertheless, the regions produce a few very noteworthy players, such as reigning MVP of the Savojar league, Savojagrad's left winger Pyotr Khabarov. Savojar teams are known for their unspectacular, pragmatic approach to handball, leading to a very tactically sound game dominated by the physical strength of most players sharpened through multiple seasons of ice hockey, handball, and formerly mining (even though that is not the case anymore since we professionalised the sport).

In Drawkland, Savojarna made its first international appearance in HWC 18 and, after a loss to the then defending champion Red Blackiland, came back against San Jose Guayabal and West Schutzenphalia to qualify for partial octofinals, where the Savojars lost to the hosts and went home with mixed feelings. After the first experience in Drawkland, the team has remained pretty much unchanged and is looking forward to another shot at handball glory.

STYLE: -0.75

STARTING 7

GK #1 Johan Bromstö (28, Thorsborg)
LW #2 Pyotr Khabarov (22, Savojagrad)
LB #6 Asgeir Jonsson (31, Kjefla) - Captain
CF #10 Fridtjof Lindback (27, Jarnstad)
CB #4 Alexander Pedersen (23, Sjoedrhavn)
RB #11 Mikkel Nielsen (26, Sjoedrhavn)
RW #7 Ville Jokarinen (27, Virkaja)

SUBSTITUTES

GK #30 Petter Jacobsson (20, Thorsborg)
GK #12 Harald Nyborg (28, Sjoedrhavn)
LW #8 Nils Jensen (19, Sandviken)
LB #5 Krister Bengtsson (27, Jarnstad)
LB #13 Eirik Baldersson (22, Storevik)
CF #9 Robin Ljungberg (25, Thorsborg)
CB #14 Mika Peltonen (28, Markka)
RB #16 Denis Bjarnsson (26, Jauska)
RW #19 Victor Gulbrandsson (22, Kjefla)

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Goalkeepers: The goalkeepers are relatively strong and should stop a fair share of shots. Bromstö is known for his great mental strength, while others may have more problems with this. Petter Jacobsson should definitely get some playtime, given that he has brilliant reflexes and is seen as the promise of future Savojar handball. Harald Nyborg plays his first HWC and is here mainly as a backup, he is not expected to play.

Wings: As mentioned, Khabarov is the MVP of the last season and has scored a lot of goals. He is known for a very strong shot and speed. Watch out for this young guy on the side. His replacement is the youngest player of the team, Nils Jensen. He has shown a great ability to make good shots even when pressured heavily and possesses a lot of physical strength. On the right side, Ville Jokarinen will start. The Virkaja guy is very explosive and has a capability of breaking through any defense by brute force. His replacement, Victor Gulbrandsson, is one of the two debutants on the national team and shows a promising season in the domestic league. He has a good overview and a dangerous arsenal of tricky shots.

Centers: Center forwards Fridtjof Lindback and Robin Ljungberg can be used almost interchangeably. Both are very strong men and hard to get out of balance, and both of them have a tendency to shoot from situations in which a good shot is unexpected, scoring many sneaky goals like that. However, sometimes their attempts to score hinder the team's efficiency if they miss a better placed teammate. The backs Alexander Pedersen and Mika Peltonen are more different, with the younger starter Pedersen being more qualified in offense thanks to great overview. Peltonen, on the other side, is seen as the stronger defender, which will likely lead to some strategic substitutions shall the game require it.

Backs: Left back Asgeir Jonsson is easily the backbone of the team off the pitch. The captain is a natural leader, and a strong defender. This allows his counterpart in the starting 7, Mikkel Nielsen, to be more active and more offensive, which leads to many goals for Savojarna. His backups are Bengtsson and Baldersson, a pair of fast backs known for their overview and passing skills, which can be very valuable if additional offense is required. Mikkel Nielsen is especially dangerous in offense and leads the SHL in goals scored by backs, even though he also knows how to stop an opponent. His strong shot has scared many goaltenders, and gave him a unexpected crown of best scorer in his team in the past. Denis Bjarnsson, his replacement, will probably not play too much given Nielsen's importance, but could play an important support role in carrying a lead to the final whistle.

RP PERMISSIONS

If my opponent RPs first, I give him permission to:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: No
RP injuries to my players: Yes - nothing that has consequences for more than the rest of the tournament
Godmod injuries to my players: No
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes - but TG me first
Godmod other events: No

by **Mattijana** » Sat Apr 08, 2017 10:17 am

Mattijanan Handball Roster for The 18th Handball World Cup

Handball in Mattijana:

Handball is a popular sport in Mattijana, particularly on the South Coast where warm weather and regular thunderstorms increase the participation levels of indoor sports. Mattijana has a professional Handball league, with the biggest clubs found in the cities of Revinka and Antalja.
Mattijana's players have yet to set the international stage alight, but with a solid domestic base and a growing pool of players, many feel that it's only a matter of time before they do.

Following an encouraging display at the 18th World Cup, in which the side reached the final 12 and qualified frkm the group stage for the first time, the side remains largely unchanged with Sanja Matešina taking charge of a familiar squad dominated by Revinka and Antalja players, with a few notable inclusions from Puljanka and West coast side WestStrand.

Most of the Mattijanan teams, particularly those on the South Coast, are known for an attacking style, with short but quick passes favoured. Those from the West Coast have a reputation for being rather more physical, but this is of course relative to the more intricate Southerners. In general, Mattijanan players will not flatten anyone, but it does occasionally happen and a WestStrand player will likely be responsible.
The Team:

Information:
Full Name: The Socialist Federation of Mattijana
Denonym: Mattijanan
Team Colours: Green and Yellow, alternate strip is Black with Dark Blue trim.
Style modifier: +3

Coaching Staff:

Head Coach: Sanja Matešina
Offensive Coach: Kristian Andrasinov
Defensive Coach: Dominika Xhaka
Psychologist: Filip Djurkani
Head Doctor: Katarina Kruminski

Players:

Starting Lineup:
GK: #1: Jelena Handanovič, age 29, Antalja
LB: #2: Rikard Petrici, age 26, Revinka
CB: #3: Dani Mehedi, age 24, Santori
RB: #4: Jessika Kurtic, age 30, Antalja
CM: #5: Mattias Jelenara, age 28, Revinka, Captain
LF: #6: Julia Karinic, age 21, Puljanka
RF: #7: Daniella Tadic, age 25, Revinka

Subs:
GK: #8: Matijo Handanovic, age 23, Puljanka
Def: #9: Katarina Buric, age 33, Antalja
Def: #10: Dominik Karimov, age 20, Petrovijanka
Def: #11: Julia Kunnenberg, age 22, WestStrand
CM: #12: Marko Ramiro, age 31, Puljanka
FW: #13: Andreas Klarer, age 23, WestStrand
FW: #14: Jelena Kurtic, age 27, Antalja

If my opponent RPs first, I give them permission to:
Choose my goalscorers: Yes
Godmod scoring events: Yes
RP injuries to my players: Yes, but nothing career/life threatening
Godmod injuries to my players: Yes
Hand out yellow cards to my players: Yes, but a maximum of 3 per match
Hand out red cards to my players: Yes - but a maximm of 2 per match
Godmod other events: Yes

by **Savojarna** » Sun Apr 09, 2017 2:51 pm

SavojarSports.sj - inside reports from all Savojarna
Savojarna prepares for 19th Handball World Cup

Heekdorf, SOL - Less than 24 hours are left until Savojarna's national team will take the court for their second world cup of handball. Their first opponents will be the Furbish Islands, a country new to the international stage that we deem to be underdogs against a Savojar squad that is in great form, but should not be underestimated as debutants are usually highly motivated. We need to overcome two countries in our group of five in order to advance to the partial octofinals, and we need to win the group if we want a shot at direct qualification for the quarterfinals. If you don't remember, last edition in Drawkland saw Savojarna reaching the KO round over San Jose Guayabal and West Schutzenphalia, who are both absent this time. We also suffered a crippling loss by the hands of Red Blackiland, the back-then reignign (and eventually back-to-back) world champion, in our first match as well as a narrow loss to hosts Drawkland in the first KO game. The goal given by the coaches is the KO round, but of course everyone hopes to advance further than last time, meaning the quarterfinals.

The Savojar group is not the easiest, but also not the hardest possible. First off, we managed to dodge the back-to-back champions of Red Blackiland this time, who many experts see as the team to beat in this edition of the Cup even if they are still not the number one of the world. This position is still held by record champion Costa de Ouro, who also did (luckily) not end up in Savojarna's group. Instead, we will face the Royal Kingdom of Quebec, a nation more known among Savojars for its success in hockey, but also fairly proficient in handball as proven by their fourth place in the world rankings. In the second pot, the Gods didn't mean too well with us as we face the United States of Devonta, the highest-ranked team in said pot. This also means no rematch against Drawkland before the KO stage, something we can be happy about as we will avoid a HWC18-like defeat or sad because it denies us revenge. From Pot 3, we get Mattijana, another rather highly ranked team with #21. Wednesday's match against them will be crucial as a victory there could bring us halfway to the KO round. Last but not least in our group are the aforementioned Furbish Islands, which, by all due respect, we need to beat if we want to reach the next round, and should be able to beat as well.

Taking a look at the form of our own team, I am generally hopeful for this tournament. In goal, Johan Bromstö remains in great form and has one of the best statistics in the Savojar league. Bromstö appears to be ready for this game and may play a quite crucial role in this campaign especially as we face the more favoured nations higher up the ranking. Petter Jacobsson remains a prodigy for the future, but little more as he is largely in the shadow of a very strong Johan Bromstö and will not get to play an awful lot. Nyborg, while knowing he is mainly present as a backup, has shown decent form and should take some weight off Bromstö's and especially Jacobsson's shoulders.
The wingers Khabarov and Jokarinen have not been great source of concern yet, but also didn't appear incredibly prepared in training. They have mostly done what is expected of them, and that is being fast and scoring goals. Khabarov looks like he will not be able to play a dominant role like he did in the league or the last HWC for Savojarna, but even a Pyotr Khabarov in average form is a problem for many enemy defenses. Gulbrandsson has been preserved lately as he seems to harbour a cold and may not want to overdo it against the Furbish Islands, but Nils Jensen is very motivated to challenge Khabarov for his position and has the potential to do so.
Mikkel Nielsen, the right back, has come back to his top form just in time for the World Cup. His two last matches at home have been widely considered the most impressive matches he played in the last season, and after a slightly disappointing first part of the year, he came back and looks to be on fire now. Nielsen's scoring abilities are going to be a threat from the back of the pitch. Captain Asgeir Jonsson has laboured on injury for most of the season, but seems to be ready to play again. Given that Jonsson's importance is mainly in the locker room, I expect to see the LB position mainly filled by Krister Bengtsson and/or Eirik Baldersson, both excellent playmakers. Jonsson will surely be on the pitch in clutch situations, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Bengtsson start tomorrow. Bjarnsson on the right side will again have it tough faced with a top form Mikkel Nielsen, but get a lot of playtime if Savojarna needs to protect a lead.
If Nielsen and Jonsson start, it is often said that Alexander Pedersen is the decisive point of the Savojar offense. The centre-back has a brilliant overview and likes to orchestrate the game from behind, and we have witnessed this quality of his in training already. Pedersen's passing seems to be spot on for the tournament, and he is very motivated. Peltonen has notably grown additional size over the last year, making the very tall (198 cm) back even heavier (107 kg), and you can be sure this is pure muscle. Passing him should be painful for everyone. In the attack, Ljungberg has had the slightly more successful season but Lindback gets the start tomorrow. The two are expected to share playtime almost equally and will be a key element for Savojarna, given that both have displayed that they are in a good form.

We have spoken to Nielsen and Jokarinen after the last public training, and both of them seemed highly motivated and optimistic. "We are ready for this, and we are confident we can pull off a good start. Scoring highly is nice, but we want to win games and you do that by hard, tough defense. So I don't get why the people think I am not fine because I am not scoring as much as last season if I improved my defensive positioning", Jokarinen told us after faced with the criticism against him. "We have really focused more on the tactics and on not being torn apart by good, fast teams as it happened with Red Blackiland last year", Mikkel Nielsen told me. "Last year, we attacked and we looked for openings, but then we ended up being played by the good teams. This year, we will focus more on not falling victim to this anymore and hopefully annoy Quebec and Devonta", the confident Sjoedrhavn back told SavojarSports.sj. We hope that he is right, of course, and invite you to watch the HWC opener tomorrow live on STV 2 at 17:30 Sjoedrhavener time!

by **Soltsteed** » Mon Apr 10, 2017 7:16 pm

In the silent night…

SPELDAG EIN AFSNIED — MATCHDAY ONE CUT-OFF

Group A
Kecrazia 35–31 Nassau-Hessen
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 17:00

Unified Sunrise Islands 26–29 Costa de Ouro
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 19:00

Group B
Drawkland 29–27 Juvencus
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 17:00

Abanhfleft 28–24 Gadirya
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 19:00

Group C
United States of Devonta 31–24 Mattijana
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 17:00

Savojarna 23–21 Furbish Islands
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 19:00

Group D
Natanians and Nosts 29–22 Qasden
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 17:00

New Lusitania and the Algarves 28–29 Ethane
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 19:00

by **Juvencus** » Tue Apr 11, 2017 6:36 am

Changes in schedule put Juvencus first matchday against Drawkland

The first matchday of the 19th Handball World Cup had a major change and Juvencus played against Drawkland instead of Sphinxatopd which was the initial game. Both teams had prepared for the teams they were going to play against, studying their tactics and making counters to those tactics which meant they went to the court in some form of confusion which was seemingly obvious during the first half of the game. The confused teams played a very safe game, safe game isn't exactly what Juvencus does on big matchdays like that which meant Drawkland had an easier time pulling through the first half. More Drawk attacks took place than Gli attaccanti's attacks which meant the Juven morale was really low. Drawkland had successfully made a small advantadge over Juvencus, but the latter were close enough. The first half ended in a 10-9 advantadge for Drawkland.

The second half of the matchday saw more prepared sides from either side, the Gli attaccanti was able to get the advantadge for some part of the half, however the Hand Corps were able dominate and get the advantadge later on the the 2nd 15 minute half, most probably cause of the remaining confusion of the Juven squad. The match ended in a 29-27 defeat, the third official match loss in a row counting the last 2 defeats last tournament. The campaign's at jeopardy especially since Juvencus is facing Abanhfleft on the next matchday in hopes of some success, although chances are really minor.

Changes that could be made on the Juven squad could be going a little bit more aggressive, like they normally do and possibly have a little bit more fluid a game since that game wasn't really fluid compared to other games. Morale's obviously really low, even after all this time, chances are still up for qualification.

by **Red Blackiland** » Wed Apr 12, 2017 6:21 pm

and

How to learn sucessive penetrations in Handball

Want to teach your students to perform successive penetrations, one of the most basic parts of handball?
It is easy, put them to play with a rule brought from rugby: only allowed to pass back! Moving past the student and the student learn that they must receive the ball in movement.
Then transfer this rule to half-court or collective work. In a few lessons, successive penetrations will occur.

Physical contact in Handball - Part 1

In order to categorize collective sports based on their similarities and differences, many point out that, in relation to the way the ball is contested, handball is characterized as a physical contact sport that, in degree of intensity, is only behind sports such as Rugby and American Football. That is, the physical contact is inherent in the game and, complementing this idea, without its presence, handball would be a sport without grace.
Therefore, the physical contact should undoubtedly be a learning content, which needs to be pedagogized in classes and training, especially in the initiation to handball. I am not talking here of tiring training teaching how to control the opponent, within a technical pattern, commonly seen in training through analytical exercises that teach how to "fit" the opponent, inhibiting him.
I'm talking about something much bigger and prior to the sport. I am talking about breaking a very present social paradigm that is related to the enclosure of the body. Physical contact, such as embracing, kissing, and holding hands, is common in family nuclei (and yet, these attitudes are not always observed), however, any kind of physical contact or closeness to a "stranger" is frowned upon.
Physical contact in most collective sports is associated with virile action almost always associated with a transgressive attitude. The contact generates faults. Failure can lead to regulatory punishment. Therefore, having contact in collective sports is characterized by a negative reinforcement of in-game behavior.
Adding all these factors to the fact that generally, children from different social nuclei meet to learn handball in projects and schools, touching, touching and above all, seeking body contact for the purpose of stopping an opponent happens to be in the Head of the child, bombarded from the very young with the concepts and social criteria of preservation of their individual integrity, to be understood as something to be avoided. However, in handball, playing without contact is to stop playing, because the sport has been shaped as a sport in which, to avoid the opponent's progression, the lack becomes a particularly and tactically acceptable resource.
Therefore, the physical contact becomes something to be taught, soon in the first contacts with the modality. It is not enough to teach the defensive technique (where to put the hands, how to position the legs and the trunk). Rather, it must be turned into something tolerable, acceptable, and "normal".

by **Soltsteed** » Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:27 pm

And if the sharks are on the prowl…

SPELDAG TEI AFSNIED — MATCHDAY TWO CUT-OFF

Group A
Nassau-Hessen 24–26 Unified Sunrise Islands
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 17:00

Kecrazia 25–31 Soltsteed
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 19:00

Group A                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Soltsteed                        1   1  0  0   31  25  +6    3
2 Costa de Ouro                    1   1  0  0   29  26  +3    3
3 Unified Sunrise Islands          2   1  0  1   52  53  −1    3
4 Kecrazia                         2   1  0  1   60  62  −2    3
5 Nassau-Hessen                    2   0  0  2   55  61  −6    0

Group B
Juvencus 27–27 Abanhfleft
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 17:00

Drawkland 29–22 Sphinxatopd
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 19:00

Group B                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Drawkland                        2   2  0  0   58  49  +9    6
2 Abanhfleft                       2   1  1  0   55  51  +4    4
3 Juvencus                         2   0  1  1   54  56  −2    1
4 Gadirya                          1   0  0  1   24  28  −4    0
5 Sphinxatopd                      1   0  0  1   22  29  −7    0

Group C
Mattijana 26–29 Savojarna
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 17:00

United States of Devonta 22–35 Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 19:00

Group C                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Savojarna                        2   2  0  0   52  47  +5    6
2 Royal Kingdom of Quebec          1   1  0  0   35  22 +13    3
3 United States of Devonta         2   1  0  1   53  59  −6    3
4 Furbish Islands                  1   0  0  1   21  23  −2    0
5 Mattijana                        2   0  0  2   50  60 −10    0

Group D
Qasden 24–28 New Lusitania and the Algarves
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 17:00

Natanians and Nosts 27–29 Red Blackiland
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 19:00

Group D                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Red Blackiland                   1   1  0  0   29  27  +2    3
2 Ethane                           1   1  0  0   29  28  +1    3
3 Natanians and Nosts              2   1  0  1   56  51  +5    3
4 New Lusitania and the Algarves   2   1  0  1   56  53  +3    3
5 Qasden                           2   0  0  2   46  57 −11    0

by **Qasden** » Thu Apr 13, 2017 2:06 pm

Qasden
Athletic News

WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

In the past two Handball World Cups, coach Esan Mayward and AC Jessie Day have led the Vans to historic performances. While dropping out in the round of 16 in Quebec, Qasden made history after defeating Juvencus last time in Drawkland to finish the overall 3rd placer, ending just behind handball titans, Rotschwarzland and Costa de Ouro. Sitting as the overall 13th seed in NS handball, TQ arrived in Soltsteed, hungry for a title run after inspiration surged from the Cup of Harmony. They've battled Kernanquillec, they've defied the Québécois, the only living threat to TQ is Rotschwarzland and nothing could stop them! That was, until the Qads suffered the most embarrassing and vile defeats to some of the sport's peasants of players.

Being placed into group D, the Vans were met with some rather easy opponents. A 28th ranked Natanians and Nosts team, followed by an unranked New Lusitania and the Algavres, then the 26th ranked Ethane, before finishing off with the legendary #2, Rotschwarzland. Simple enough. There was only one real threat in the group, which could easily be taken care of later on. But yet somehow, the Blue-Reds managed to pick up some undesirable attention during their stay.

Game 1 in Port Michael saw the Qads play Natanians and Nosts, a benevolent bunch of players whom are ranked new the bottom of the charts, being the delegate from pot 4 of 5. A resilient Mayward team battled with their heart and soul, making way for a hefty amount of scores. Captain Pyxis and Marko Qoltz combined for a staggering 10 goals, with Alouette adding another 3. To surprise, the Natanian foes were dominant almost throughout the match. In the end, not even the esteemed Harbor-Felicity duo could comprehend the defense, as Qasden went on the be upset by Natanians and Nosts, 22-29. Fans immediately became intoxicated with rage and confusion. One reportedly attacked a family of Natanian fans after the match before being quickly tackled by security.

Though day 1 was a travesty, it could not be spoken nearly as bad as the next day. Up second for TQ was the ever-so new and quirky team of New Lusitania and the Algarves, whom failed to defeat Ethane in their opener. Again at the Mikäelporthall, the Qads showed force and skill, earning a 5-point lead right off the bat. By the halfway mark, the Vans were up 16-13. However, that evidence became almost instantly nullified, as the rookies pulverized the deficit and extended into a 4-point lead that'd last the remnants of the game. 24-28, a loss that would force Qasden to remove its appendix if it were a person. The defeat became proceeded by wildfire-like trauma and devastation for the handball-loving citizens of Qasden.

To this point, we stand at 0-2 in Soltsteed, a record that should be the other way around. With only the top 2-3 advancing, and with Qasden in negative numbers, the threat is on high alert as we standby for our two critical games of the group stage. First up are the Ethanians, whom are only ranked 2 above the Natanians yet are somehow second place. A win is heavily vital here if we want ANY chance of advancing, by a large margin too. Afterwards, we meet Rotschwarzland, the epitome of NS handball alongside CdO. A win against Rotschwarzland would be of utmost importance for TQ to succeed, but also the downfall of Natanians and New Lusitania. With fans beginning to get angered by the staffing, Esan Mayward now knows that these next few games can not be screwed up, as Ms. Day will be replacing him, should he fail to get TQ out of the dump it is in right now.

Can Mayward get Qasden out of last place in the HWC? Will TQ ever be able to look back happily on their visit to Soltsteed? Could any Qad fan ever trust handball referees ever again? Only one ghost will come back, so stay tuned, stay updated, and stay alert for our next report, live from the streets of Port Michael!

by **Savojarna** » Fri Apr 14, 2017 12:16 pm

SavojarSports.sj - inside reports from all Savojarna
Savojarna wins big match against Mattijana

Heekdorf, SOL - In the Handball World Cup, Savojarna managed the possibly most important victory of the group stage tonight against Mattijana despite what seemed like a crippling loss at half time. As we had pointed out in our preview piece, after the expected victory over the unranked Furbish Islands, we had to beat Mattijana to already almost secure the qualification for the partial octofinals by virtue of coming into the top 3 of the group. The Mattijanans, while nominally placed ahead of Savojarna, are the closest to us in the group. After we had beaten the Furbish Islands, it was clear that by a victory last night, we would take the lead in the group and could only be pushed down to 4th place if Mattijana or the Furbish Islands would beat one of the two group favourites, Devonta or Quebec, even if the Savojars fail to beat either.

However, the game did not start well for Savojarna. After the first two attacks of the team were both stopped by Jelena Handanovic, they had quickly fallen behind by the hands of Tadic and captain Jelenara (twice). The fast counter attacks of Mattijana posed a problem to the Savojars, who, at their worst moment, were behind 14-8 after a bit over 25 minutes. However, they made changes to the team as Pedersen was pulled for the more defensive Mika Peltonen was brought onto the pitch to stabilise the team against Mattijana's fast paced passing. The unlucky central forward Lindback was also pulled in favour of Robin Ljungberg, who did promptly score the two next goals for Savojarna. Thanks to two magnificent saves by Bromstö and a spectacular trick by Gulbrandsson followed by a pass across the area to Khabarov, the score was 14-11 at half time, something that would give hope to the Savojars that they might overturn the game in the second half.

And indeed they managed to do so at the defense was stabilised by Peltonen, and an eager Robin Ljungberg did wonders in the offensive department. Likewise, Khabarov finally seemed to catch on in the second half after having been mostly invisible throughout the 90 first minutes of the tournament, and together with a right wing duo that seemed truly on fire they could trouble Mattijana. The Mattijanans main selling point was speed and the fact that the Savojar physical play was mostly useless thanks to their opponents passing very quickly, but eventually a closer covering and some better anticipation solved that issue for Savojarna. Seven minutes after the second half had begun, a heavy shot from the back by Mikkel Nielsen found its way past Handanovic to set the score to 17-18 for Savojarna, the first time in the match that they would take the lead. And from that moment on, they barely gave it up anymore thanks to a very focused defense. In the end of the game, the Mattijanans threw everything at Bromstö and almost caught up again, but with the additional space created by their heavy offense, Savojarna could launch two fast breaks which were both successfully ended by Khabarov. In the end, the team won 26-29 against a hard opponent in Mattijana.

Thanks to the other match between the group favourites going to the Royal Kingdom of Quebec, which had enjoyed a bye on the first day, the Savojars now take the lead in the group with six points, ahead of the United States of Devonta with three points and the aforementioned RKQ with three points as well, but a game in hand. Savojarna will now face the two favourites, first Quebec tomorrow and then, two days later, Devonta. On the last day, the Savojars will be looking on from the stands as destiny unfolds. Currently, Mattijana can no more than tie the Savojars in points while the Furbish Islands technically could overtake Savojarna, but need to beat all three remaining higher ranked nations. As for Devonta and Quebec, they both can easily beat Savojarna in the standings, but this would not be a disaster as a third place is enough to qualify. Thus, we can assume that Savojarna is already about halfway in the playoffs, but not any further.

by **Soltsteed** » Fri Apr 14, 2017 7:00 pm

The Exception

SPELDAG DRIE AFSNIED — MATCHDAY THREE CUT-OFF

Group A
Unified Sunrise Islands 26–28 Soltsteed
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 17:00

Costa de Ouro 32–24 Nassau-Hessen
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 19:00

Group A                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Costa de Ouro                    2   2  0  0   61  50 +11    6
2 Soltsteed                        2   2  0  0   59  51  +8    6
3 Kecrazia                         2   1  0  1   60  62  −2    3
4 Unified Sunrise Islands          3   1  0  2   78  81  −3    3
5 Nassau-Hessen                    3   0  0  3   79  93 −14    0

Group B
Abanhfleft 28–21 Sphinxatopd
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 17:00

Gadirya 31–25 Juvencus
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 19:00

Group B                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Abanhfleft                       3   2  1  0   83  72 +11    7
2 Drawkland                        2   2  0  0   58  49  +9    6
3 Gadirya                          2   1  0  1   55  53  +2    3
4 Juvencus                         3   0  1  2   79  87  −8    1
5 Sphinxatopd                      2   0  0  2   43  57 −14    0

Group C
Savojarna 29–30 Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 17:00

Furbish Islands 29–25 Mattijana
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 19:00

Group C                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec          2   2  0  0   65  51 +14    6
2 Savojarna                        3   2  0  1   81  77  +4    6
3 Furbish Islands                  2   1  0  1   50  48  +2    3
4 United States of Devonta         2   1  0  1   53  59  −6    3
5 Mattijana                        3   0  0  3   75  89 −14    0

Group D
New Lusitania and the Algarves 24–27 Red Blackiland
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 17:00

Ethane 24–30 Qasden
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 19:00

Group D                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Red Blackiland                   2   2  0  0   56  51  +5    6
2 Natanians and Nosts              2   1  0  1   56  51  +5    3
3 New Lusitania and the Algarves   3   1  0  2   80  80   0    3
4 Qasden                           3   1  0  2   76  81  −5    3
5 Ethane                           2   1  0  1   53  58  −5    3

Key to colours:
Qualified
Eliminated

Note: Due to Easter Sunday, the next matchday will be on Monday.

by **Red Blackiland** » Sun Apr 16, 2017 7:14 pm

and

Physical contact in Handball - Part 2

Considering the initiation to handball, thinking about youth categories (10, 11 and 12 years), the presence of the play element may be a teaching strategy capable of promoting the momentary suspension of children from social rules that limit body expression In the sense of the other, transforming the learning environment into an environment whose new rules - consistent with the teaching proposal (which is tolerance to physical contact) - are created and well associated by children.
As always reinforcement, the children already know what to do so that the possibility of having contact with the other is acceptable, which is why she jokes. In play, new and emerging rules emerge, valid only in that context, so that, for example, in a traditional game like catch-all the need to play the other is the main characterizing element of the game.
Well, so playing handball in handball classes is a way of teaching children tolerance for physical contact? Of course yes!
Catch one, catch all, freeze tag, pickle, chain catcher, street mother, red river, catch-all save with a hug, are all variations of prank games of great appeal to the beginning To physical contact.
In common games such as "pass 10" - in which two teams compete for possession of the ball and attempt to make 10 passes to score a point - include a simple rule such as, if the player is sitting touched by the opposing opponent, he can not receive The ball or else if the ball player is touched from the front on one of his shoulders he loses possession of the ball introduce the concept of the contact in his classes. Playing rugby, playing uncheck (1 vs 1 in which one should try to outgrow the other), brings more specificity to the contact, for approaching much of what is requested in handball.
Only after playing a lot and understanding that leaning on the colleague is no problem - because when playing, rules are created that are worth playing and that, without the contact is not played, but mainly, playfulness momentarily moves away from those who play. Social impositions on the body, so that playing becomes normal, pleasant and tolerable - is that the main concepts about the regulation of handball - defensive actions, pivot actions on their marker (s) and so on. Should be addressed.
In this way, as a suggestion, understand that a pedagogy of physical contact is necessary, before such contact of students is covered.
It is necessary for your students to understand that they can play and that they can be touched - and that this is normal for those who are learning handball - so that the contact can be trained under regulatory standards. Many grips, jerks, jerks will occur. And that's healthy, and that's what makes handball, handball.

by **Soltsteed** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 7:32 pm

|national football | club football | basketball | rugby | volleyball | sevenball|

handball world cup: soltsteed v costa de ouro preview
soltsteedish starting goalkeeper to miss game against world number one costa de ouro after changing room assault

ST CHRISTOPHER — One notable face that will be missing at Köninglik Sporthall as Soltsteed face Costa de Ouro is that of starting goalkeeper Alexandre Tiberius. After an altercation with right-winger Samuel van de Camp, Tiberius has been suspended from the national team ahead of a crucial game against the top handball nation in the world that could potentially have implications for the knockout stage, both in deciding if Soltsteed get through to the knockout rounds and if they will receive a bye to the quarterfinals as a group winner.

According to other members of the team, Tiberius and Van de Camp were arguing over an incident during practice for the match in which Van de Camp was tripped by Tiberius. Denying that the incident was anything other than an accident, Tiberius reportedly slapped Van de Camp, saying “Now that was on purpose.”

“We take incidents like this very seriously,” team coach Mäthjas Albrechtssen told STN. “We cannot have dissention among the team and we cannot have abusive behaviour sullying the name of Soltsteedish handball. We have yet to decide what we will do, but we can assure all parties that Alexandre Tiberius will not be appearing for Soltsteed for the remainder of the tournament.”

Host nation Soltsteed sat out the first day of play, but nonetheless made a ruckus by misprinting the provisional fixture list, resulting in many confused matches on the opening day and a shock win by Kecrazia in the first match of the tournament. “We accept full responsibility for what happened and cannot apologise enough for the confusion that resulted,” Royal Soltsteedish Handball Federation Secretary-General Janmat Rosencrants told a press conference. “The match schedule we distributed before the draw deviated from that which was intended and our mistake was not caught until the last minute. It is regretful what happened and we can assure the world that Soltsteed will take better precautions for the next time we host an event like this.”

Costa de Ouro who have would start their tournament that day in a match against the Unified Sunrise Islands that was not part of the mix-up, winning by just three goals over the second seeds. Despite a small comeback after a dismal first half, Kecrazia’s opening match win could not protect them against the hosts, who secured a comfortable six goal win over their fellow unranked side. The hosts would follow that up with a comeback of their own, going from three goals down to the Sunrisians at halftime to a two goal win, while Costa de Ouro would knock Nassau-Hessen out of the tournament with a 32–24 win.

The winner of the upcoming match—if there is one—will clinch the group and receive an automatic place in the quarterfinals, with Costa de Ouro entering as clear favourites. Having appeared in the last five Handball World Cup finals, Costa de Ouro simply have more depth and experience to their squad compared to débutante Soltsteed. Anything is possible and Soltsteed is likely through to the next round, but it will almost certainly be Costa de Ouro taking the group. •

by **Soltsteed** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 7:40 pm

Pressure

SPELDAG VEER AFSNIED — MATCHDAY FOUR CUT-OFF

Group A
Soltsteed 23–26 Costa de Ouro
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 17:00

Kecrazia 21–27 Unified Sunrise Islands
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 19:00

Group A                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Costa de Ouro                    3   3  0  0   87  73 +14    9
2 Soltsteed                        3   2  0  1   82  77  +5    6
3 Unified Sunrise Islands          4   2  0  2  105 102  +3    6
4 Kecrazia                         3   1  0  2   81  89  −8    3
5 Nassau-Hessen                    3   0  0  3   79  93 −14    0

Group B
Sphinxatopd 23–31 Gadirya
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 17:00

Drawkland 24–30 Abanhfleft
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 19:00

Group B                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Abanhfleft                       4   3  1  0  113  96 +17   10
2 Gadirya                          3   2  0  1   86  76 +10    6
3 Drawkland                        3   2  0  1   82  79  +3    6
4 Juvencus                         3   0  1  2   79  87  −8    1
5 Sphinxatopd                      3   0  0  3   66  88 −22    0

Group C
Royal Kingdom of Quebec 29–24 Furbish Islands
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 17:00

United States of Devonta 29–23 Savojarna
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 19:00

Group C                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec          3   3  0  0   94  75 +19    9
2 United States of Devonta         3   2  0  1   82  82   0    6
3 Savojarna                        4   2  0  2  104 106  −2    6
4 Furbish Islands                  3   1  0  2   74  77  −3    3
5 Mattijana                        3   0  0  3   75  89 −14    0

Group D
Red Blackiland 30–24 Ethane
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 17:00

Natanians and Nosts 29–28 New Lusitania and the Algarves
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 19:00

Group D                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Red Blackiland                   3   3  0  0   86  75 +11    9
2 Natanians and Nosts              3   2  0  1   85  79  +6    6
3 New Lusitania and the Algarves   4   1  0  3  108 109  −1    3
4 Qasden                           3   1  0  2   76  81  −5    3
5 Ethane                           3   1  0  2   77  88 −11    3

Key to colours:
Group winner
Qualified
Eliminated

by **Soltsteed** » Wed Apr 19, 2017 7:05 pm

I’m out of music ideas, so enjoy

SPELDAG FIEF AFSNIED — MATCHDAY FIVE CUT-OFF

Group A
Costa de Ouro 36–22 Kecrazia
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 17:00

Nassau-Hessen 32–29 Soltsteed
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher | 19:00

Group A                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Costa de Ouro                    4   4  0  0  123  95 +28   12
2 Soltsteed                        4   2  0  2  111 109  +2    6
3 Unified Sunrise Islands          4   2  0  2  105 102  +3    6
4 Kecrazia                         4   1  0  3  103 125 −22    3
5 Nassau-Hessen                    4   1  0  3  111 122 −11    3
H2H: Unified Sunrise Islands 26–28 Soltsteed; Kecrazia 35–31 Nassau-Hessen

Group B
Gadirya 30–30 Drawkland
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 17:00

Juvencus 29–22 Sphinxatopd
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove | 19:00

Group B                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Abanhfleft                       4   3  1  0  113  96 +17   10
2 Gadirya                          4   2  1  1  116 106 +10    7
3 Drawkland                        4   2  1  1  112 109  +3    7
4 Juvencus                         4   1  1  2  108 109  −1    4
5 Sphinxatopd                      4   0  0  4   88 117 −29    0
H2H: Gadirya 30–30 Drawkland

Group C
Furbish Islands 28–28 United States of Devonta
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 17:00

Mattijana 23–32 Royal Kingdom of Quebec
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf | 19:00

Group C                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Royal Kingdom of Quebec          4   4  0  0  126  98 +28   12
2 United States of Devonta         4   2  1  1  110 110   0    7
3 Savojarna                        4   2  0  2  104 106  −2    6
4 Furbish Islands                  4   1  1  2  102 105  −3    4
5 Mattijana                        4   0  0  4   98 121 −23    0

Group D
Ethane 23–28 Natanians and Nosts
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 17:00

Qasden 29–24 Red Blackiland
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael | 19:00

Group D                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Red Blackiland                   4   3  0  1  110 104  +6    9
2 Natanians and Nosts              4   3  0  1  113 102 +11    9
3 Qasden                           4   2  0  2  105 105   0    6
4 Ethane                           4   1  0  3  100 116 −16    3
5 New Lusitania and the Algarves   4   1  0  3  108 109  −1    3
H2H: Natanians and Nosts 27–29 Red Blackiland; New Lusitania and the Algarves 28–29 Ethane

Key to colours:
Group winner
Qualified

Seeding                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
C Royal Kingdom of Quebec          4   4  0  0  126  98 +28   12
A Costa de Ouro                    4   4  0  0  123  95 +28   12
B Abanhfleft                       4   3  1  0  113  96 +17   10
D Red Blackiland                   4   3  0  1  110 104  +6    9
D Natanians and Nosts              4   3  0  1  113 102 +11    9
B Gadirya                          4   2  1  1  116 106 +10    7
C United States of Devonta         4   2  1  1  110 110   0    7
A Soltsteed                        4   2  0  2  111 109  +2    6
B Drawkland                        4   2  1  1  112 109  +3    7
A Unified Sunrise Islands          4   2  0  2  105 102  +3    6
D Qasden                           4   2  0  2  105 105   0    6
C Savojarna                        4   2  0  2  104 106  −2    6

PLAY-IN FIXTURES
(8) Soltsteed v Drawkland (9)
Köninglik Sporthall, St Christopher
Winner plays Royal Kingdom of Quebec (1)

(5) Natanians and Nosts v Savojarna (12)
Walland Sport Centre, Cherrygrove
Winner plays Red Blackiland (4)

(7) United States of Devonta v Unified Sunrise Islands (10)
Greenbeck Gardens, Heekdorf
Winner plays Costa de Ouro (2)

(6) Gadirya v Qasden (11)
Mikäelporthall, Port Michael
Winner plays Abanhfleft (3)

by **Drawkland** » Thu Apr 20, 2017 7:45 am

HWC 19 GROUP STAGE ROUNDUP
Written By: Tabitha Yen and James Kytler

RECENT RESULTS
FROM GROUP B:
Drawkland 29–27 Juvencus
Abanhfleft 28–24 Gadirya
Juvencus 27–27 Abanhfleft
Drawkland 29–22 Sphinxatopd
Abanhfleft 28–21 Sphinxatopd
Gadirya 31–25 Juvencus
Sphinxatopd 23–31 Gadirya
Drawkland 24–30 Abanhfleft
Gadirya 30–30 Drawkland
Juvencus 29–22 Sphinxatopd
Group B                          Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts
1 Abanhfleft                       4   3  1  0  113  96 +17   10
2 Gadirya                          4   2  1  1  116 106 +10    7
3 Drawkland                        4   2  1  1  112 109  +3    7
4 Juvencus                         4   1  1  2  108 109  −1    4
5 Sphinxatopd                      4   0  0  4   88 117 −29    0

HANDBALL WORLD CUP
And here we are, after 5 matchdays of action, we're finally at the playoffs of the Handball World Cup! As per the fact that we seem excited about this, you might be able to guess that we made it into the playoffs! Barely, somehow, apparently. Let's do quick review of where we've been.

Drawkland first entered the Handball World Cup in edition 17, as a last-minute edition due to issues with signups. Held in Royal Kingdom of Quebec, Drawkland was unranked and placed in a group with the hosts. Which you already know is a pretty terrible circumstance considering the attitude of the home fans. But whatever! They did lose the opener against the home side, a pretty sad 30-26 defeat that left the new Hand Corps pretty deflated. But still, that's how it goes sometimes. Despite being last in the group with a -6 differential, the Corps persevered and just kept playing the sport they loved. Their next match, against the low-ranked Mattijana, was crucial, and they came away with a 27-25 win that came down to a crucial save by the keeper and a subsequent drive and score to finish the game. On the final matchday, unbeknownst to them (they thought the group stage was a double, rather than single, round robin), the Corps secured their place in the playoffs by defeating fellow unranked team Jarwel 24-28. With 4 points and a straight 0 goal differential, Drawkland survived to the Round of 16 and faced Britonisea. Drawkland had a miraculous match, tying the Britons at the last moment, 28-28, to bring the game to overtime. After that, they took the advantage and won the match under pressure, 31-34. They repeated the same sort of action against Red Blackiland in the Quarterfinals, tying them on the last drive 24-24, but this time they fell short in an overtime with fantastic defense, 28-27. Despite the tough loss, it was still a huge success for the Corps on their first attempt, and they had high hopes going into HWC 18.

The next Handball WC was held in our own nation of Drawkland, as you may've heard, and it was definitely a fun one. In a group with the runner-up from HWC 17 and 3-time winners Costa de Ouro, Drawkland wasn't expected to do a whole lot better than last time, perhaps the home court advantage propelling them deep into the playoffs. Their home opener was against Eastfield Lodge, who they defeated easily 28-32, their legs finally deeply rooted into international competition. Their next match was a little bit of a disappointment, drawing 29-29 against the unranked Westenian Union, but still, they clinched a playoff berth right then and there. And on the final matchday, they pulled a shock upset by defeating the former champions Costa de Ouro convincingly, 26-24. This put them in a prime playoff position, causing them to play the lowest-ranked team in the playoffs. They ended up defeating the newcomers Savojarna 27-24, and went on to play no other than Red Blackiland in the quarters. They, of course, lost 24-22, not able to even get to overtime like last edition. But it didn't even matter, because they would just keep climbing. Maybe someday they'll defeat Red Blackiland or at least not face them in the quarterfinals.

Anyway, this HWC 19, held in the new nation of Soltsteed, was set to be a good one. With top nation Abanhfleft, Sonnelian brothers Juvencus, the mid-ranked Gadirya, and unranked Sphinxatopd, the group would not be an easy one to escape. But we did escape, so ha! Let's see how each match went.

vs JUVENCUS
The opener against Juvencus was definitely the highest-billed matchup of the Day 1 afternoon. The two neighbors played a hard game against each other, the various shades of red and black and white on the court exciting for the fans, especially the ones watching from home. Anyway, in this case, the older, "big brother" nation ended up winning the match by an easy 2 points, 29-27. This wasn't the greatest for point differential, but it put the Corps immediately on the top side of the table, which can't be underappreciated.

Each team had a player really show their skill in this match, for Drawkland it was Wyatt Johnson who racked up 10 goals and 6 assists during the match, showing his strength as a top performer for the Hand Corps. The Gli attaccanti of Juvencus really were strong, especially in the second half, and you can't discount that. Nico Alamani was their top performer, accounting for a quarter of his team's goals.

vs SPHINXATOPD
This new and unranked nation didn't have a roster for our coaches and media to observe, nor did they have shirt names or numbers. But what we do know about them is that they weren't all that good. The Corps had a field day, defeating them 29-22, a 7-point win margin which we believe is the largest margin the Hand Corps had ever won a match by. All in all, it was a great match to take into the bye day of the group stage, where the Corps rested up, explored Cherrygrove, their host city in Soltsteed, and got ready for the biggest match of the stage against Abanhfleft.

vs ABANHFLEFT
And then they went on to play the big boys of Abanhlfeft, who've been decent at the tournament since they've been there but never really broke into a major playoff run. The match featured a large offensive explosion, plenty of goals on both sides, but ultimately it was Abanhfleft, led in this game mainly by Lorraine Gregory, who triumphed by 6 points over the Drawkian squad, 24-30. While Ellen Maggio from the Corps proved that she can score plenty of goals, the team just couldn't pull it out. Despite this, it secured their spot in the playoffs, alongside the Fleftics and Gadirya, who Drawkland were to play on the last matchday.

vs GADIRYA
And thus they played Gadirya. This one featured even more points, and it ended in a tie, 30-30. Both teams played pretty shoddily on the defensive end, as both teams had made it and were out of contention for a first-round playoff bye. This is the likely reason it ended like it did, a respectful and high-scoring draw. We can't complain. We made it to the playoffs, after all!

PREDICTIONS
And thus Drawkland enters the Round of 12. Being the best 3rd-place team, they're 9th seed, and have a pretty good shot at advancing, considering they're playing an unranked team. Oh, it's Soltsteed? The hosts? Well, we all know what happens when a nation plays the host in the first round. At least in our experience.

But we also don't have a rank disadvantage going into this match, unlike the last 2 editions where nations played the hosts. But, in this position, if the bracket is hard rather than reseeded (we don't know what they're using), we have to face the number one team in the playoffs right now, that being the currently undefeated Royal Kingdom of Quebec, who we'd like to avoid having to go against. In our only meeting, we lost by 4 points, as you know. But hey, that's how the cookie crumbles.

Who else is in the playoffs? Well, getting the first-round bye are Royal Kingdom of Quebec, Costa de Ouro, Abanhfleft, and Costa de Ouro, in that order. Which is really shocking to nobody. Interestingly enough, the second-place teams are actually less illustrious than the 3rd-place teams. Natanians and Nosts, Gadirya, United States of Devonta, and Soltsteed. They're all on the newer or mediocre side, and somehow snuck into second place, by luck or shock skill. 3rd place teams, Drawkland, Unified Sunrise Islands, Qasden, and Savojarna are all clearly more experienced teams who, if you didn't show seedings, would be expected to definitely win the matches. But we'll have to just see how it goes. After all, isn't that the fun in everything?

Either way, go Corps! Let's hope they get the privilege of being demolished by Royal Kingdom of Quebec!

Handball World Cup 19 - Everything Thread

Handball World Cup 19 - Everything Thread

Hand Corps - HWC 19

HWC 19 Group Stage Roundup

Who is online