'Rules of Austus (Abridged), A Combination of Australian and American Football' by Cowley [USA Edition, Melbourne, c1944]. VG condition. Austus is a sport which was started in Australia during World War II when U.S. soldiers wanted to play a form of football against the Australians. Because American Football is rarely played in Australia and Australian rules football is rarely played in the USA the players wrote up composite rules consisting of throwing, which isn't allowed in Australian rules football and kicking which is rarely used in Gridiron football