| International Rules series is on the line BY LARRY COONEY
 THE
future of the International Rules series between Ireland and Australia
is expected to be decided this week.
In the aftermath of a highly successful All-Stars hurlers’ visit
to Singapore last weekend, senior GAA officials are taking the opportunity
to stop off at Melbourne to meet their Australian Football League counterparts
for what amounts to a serious review of the purpose of the entire series.
GAA President Seán Kelly, and his soon-to-be-successor Nickey
Brennan along with Director-General Liam Mulvihill are sure to take an
uncompromising stance in the after-math of last October’s shambles.
The nature of the violent incidents which marred last year’s series
and particularly the second test have since led to calls from several
counties to end their association with the AFL.
Kelly said: “Some of the tackling that went on in the second test
simply wasn’t acceptable and we will be letting the Australians
know exactly how we feel. There was a very strong reaction in Ireland
to that second test and we will be telling the Australians that if the
series is to continue there can never be a repetition of what we saw that
night.”
Although not present at last year’s series, Nickey Brennan did not
mince his words about the GAA’s stance towards the future of the
series and admitted that they would be prepared to abandon the series
if they felt the Australians weren’t committed to cleaning up their
act.
Describing some of the Australian tackling last year as “bordering
on thuggery” Brennan said it was the time they were told some home
truths.
He said: “There are very serious issues involved here and the attitude
has to change. The Australians are well aware of how we feel. There’s
lot of goodwill towards the series but we need to put down some very important
markers. We want the series to continue but if we felt we would get a
repetition of what happened last year, we’d walk away.”
However Mulvihill hopes that their meetings will be constructive and not
degenerate into blame-game sessions.
However he also stressed that it was most important that both sides implemented
the agreed rules and that match officials were properly trained for these
special games.
Assuming there is a successful conclusion to the series of meetings with
the AFL officials, a number of other issues are also likely to be raised
including the possibility of a third game in the series.
If that were agreed then the current method of deciding the winner of
the series on aggregate scores over two legs would more than likely be
replaced by a best of three ties.
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