International Rules Series
Current season, competition or edition: 2015 International Rules Series | |
International rules series logo (2011) | |
Sport | International rules football |
---|---|
Founded | 1967 (Australian Football World Tour) |
Inaugural season | 1984 |
No. of teams | 2 |
Country |
Australia Ireland |
Continent |
Oceania Europe |
Most recent champion(s) | Australia |
Most titles | Ireland, Australia (9 titles) |
TV partner(s) |
Seven Network (Australia) TG4 (Ireland) |
The International Rules Series is a senior men's international rules football competition between the Australia international rules football team (selected by the Australian Football League) and the Ireland international rules football team (selected by the Gaelic Athletic Association). The series is played twice every three years in October and November after the completion of the AFL Grand Final and the All-Ireland Football Final which are both traditionally played in late September. The matches are played using a set of compromise rules decided upon by both the two governing bodies; known formally as international rules football. While the International Rules Series matches use some rules from Australian rules football, the field, ball and uniforms of both teams are all from Gaelic football.
The two teams contest a trophy, which in 2004 was named the Cormac McAnallen Cup—after the Tyrone team captain Cormac McAnallen, whose death that year from a heart condition came after he had represented Ireland in the previous three series.
The concept for the series originates from the Australian Football World Tour, which took place in 1967. The first series took place in Ireland in 1984 under a three match format, whereby the team accumulating the most wins from the series gained victory. Following poor Australian crowds and relative lack of interest in 1990, the series was revived in 1998 under a two match aggregate points format.[1] In a bid to revitalise the public interest in the concept, the 2014 series was reduced to a one-off test match featuring exclusively All-Australian players.
The series alternates host countries each appropriate year between Ireland and Australia. Since the commencement of the modern era series in 1998, the average attendance up to the conclusion of the 2011 series was 44,746. Only once has any test sold out in Australia, in Perth in 2003. The first entire series to sell out was in Ireland in 2006 when a combined record crowd of 112,127 was set, as well as the largest international sports fixture at Croke Park for the second test.
The tests were indefinitely postponed by the GAA in 2007 following the 2006 Series, citing a series of violent onfield incidents.[2] However, the series resumed in October 2008 in Australia, after the GAA and AFL reached collective agreement on a revised set of rules. The 2013 series was notable for the inclusion of an Australian team made up of exclusively Indigenous players, known as the Indigenous All Stars.[3]
In the most recent series, which was reduced to a one off test match (2014 International Rules Test) was won by Australia, their first win in 4 years. The win levelled the overall series wins at 9-9. However, Ireland lead the overall matches won 20-17.
All-time standings
Note: includes statistics from 1984 (fully updated post 2014 series)[4]
Country | Series won | Test matches won 1 | Points scored |
---|---|---|---|
Ireland | 9 | 20 | 2,212 |
Australia | 9 | 17 | 2,069 |
1 Two draws (second test 1999, second test 2002)
Records
- Biggest series win (1998–2014): 101 points, 2013, Ireland 173 - 72 Australia
- Biggest test win (1998–2014): 79 points, second test 2013, Ireland 116 - 37 Australia
- Closest series (1998–2014): 5 points, 2008, Australia 97–102 Ireland
- Highest-scoring test (1998–2014): 164 points, first test 2005, Australia 100–64 Ireland
- Lowest-scoring test (1998–2014): 84 points, second test 2002, Ireland 42–42 Australia
- Highest attendance (1998–2014): 82,127, Croke Park, second test 2006
- Highest attendance (1984–1990): 32,318, Croke Park, third test 1984
- Lowest attendance (1998–2014): 12,545, Metricon Stadium, second test 2011
- Lowest attendance (1984–1990): 7,000, Bruce Stadium, second test 1990
- Average attendance (1998–2014): 42,898
- Average attendance (1984–2011): 33,648
- Record point scorer: Steven McDonnell (Ireland & Armagh), 118 points
Series results
Scores are given in the form [goals]–[overs]–[behinds] ([points]). A goal equals 6 points, an over, 3, and a behind, 1. So 2–9–10 (49) means 2 goals, 9 overs and 10 behinds; 2(6) + 9(3) + 7(1) = 12 + 27 + 7 = 46 points in total.
One-off tests (2014–present)
Year | Host country | Host city | Venue | Result | Attendance | Series winner |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Ireland | Dublin | Croke Park | Ireland Australia | 21 November 2015 | |
2014 | Australia | Perth | Patersons Stadium | Australia 0-17-5 (56) Ireland 2-9-7 (46) | 38,262 | Australia |
Tests (1998–2013)
Year | Host country | First test | Venue | Att. | Second test | Venue | Att. | Total | Series winner |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Ireland | Ireland 2–12–9 (57) Australia1 1–7–8 (35) | Breffni Park, Cavan | 17,567 | Ireland 6–22–14 (116) Australia1 2–7–4 (37) | Croke Park, Dublin | 28,525 | 173 72 | Ireland |
2011 | Australia | Ireland 4–17–5 (80) Australia 1–8–6 (36) | Etihad Stadium, Melbourne | 22,921 | Ireland 1–13–5 (50) Australia 0–7–8 (29) | Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast | 12,545 | 130 65 | Ireland |
2010 | Ireland | Australia 0–14–5 (47) Ireland 1–8–10 (40) | Gaelic Grounds, Limerick | 30,117 | Australia 0–14–13 (55) Ireland 1–11–13 (52) | Croke Park, Dublin | 61,842 | 102 92 | Australia |
2008 | Australia | Ireland 3–6–9 (45) Australia 0–12–8 (44) | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 35,153 | Ireland 4–8–9 (57) Australia 3–8–11 (53) | MCG, Melbourne | 42,823 | 102 97 | Ireland |
2006 | Ireland | Ireland 1–12–6 (48) Australia 1–9–7 (40) | Pearse Stadium, Galway | 35,000* | Australia 3–15–6 (69) Ireland 0–7–10 (31) | Croke Park, Dublin | 82,127* | 109 79 | Australia |
2005 | Australia | Australia 2–27–7 (100) Ireland 3–11–13 (64) | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 39,098 | Australia 0–18–9 (63) Ireland 0–11–9 (42) | Telstra Dome, Melbourne | 45,428 | 163 106 | Australia |
2004 | Ireland | Ireland 3–17–8 (77) Australia 1–9–8 (41) | Croke Park, Dublin | 46,370 | Ireland 1–15–4 (55) Australia 0–12–5 (41) | Croke Park, Dublin | 60,515 | 132 82 | Ireland |
2003 | Australia | Australia 3–10–8 (56) Ireland 1–10–10 (46) | Subiaco Oval, Perth | 41,228* | Ireland 2–9–9 (48) Australia 1–10–9 (45) | MCG, Melbourne | 60,235 | 101 94 | Australia |
2002 | Ireland | Australia 2–15–8 (65) Ireland 1–14–10 (58) | Croke Park, Dublin | 44,221 | Draw: Ireland 1–8–12 (42) Australia 1–11–3 (42) | Croke Park, Dublin | 71,544 | 107 100 | Australia |
2001 | Australia | Ireland 2–13–8 (59) Australia 1–13–8 (53) | MCG, Melbourne | 48,121 | Ireland 2–17–8 (71) Australia 1–13–7 (52) | Football Park, Adelaide | 31,713 | 130 105 | Ireland |
2000 | Ireland | Australia 0–14–13 (55) Ireland 1–11–8 (47) | Croke Park, Dublin | 38,000 | Australia 2–15–11 (68) Ireland 1–12–9 (51) | Croke Park, Dublin | 57,289 | 123 98 | Australia |
1999 | Australia | Ireland 2–16–10 (70) Australia 0–15–17 (62) | MCG, Melbourne | 64,326 | Draw: Australia 2–12–4 (52) Ireland 1–11–13 (52) | Football Park, Adelaide | 45,187 | 122 114 | Ireland |
1998 | Ireland | Australia 2–12–14 (62) Ireland 2–12–13 (61) | Croke Park, Dublin | 22,900 | Ireland 4–12–7 (67) Australia 2–10–14 (56) | Croke Park, Dublin | 35,221 | 128 118 | Ireland |
1 For the 2013 series, the Australian side was represented by an exclusively Indigenous team, known as the Indigenous All Stars
Tests (1984–1990)
Year | Host country | First test | Venue | Att. | Second test | Venue | Att. | Third test | Venue | Att. | Series winner |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | Australia | Ireland 0–12–11 (47) Australia 0–10–8 (38) | VFL Park | 18,332 | Ireland 3–9–7 (52) Australia 0–7–10 (31) | Bruce Stadium | 7,000 | Australia 0–13–11 (50) Ireland 0–12–8 (44) | WACA Ground | 7,770 | Ireland |
1987 | Ireland | Ireland 3–7–14 (53) Australia 1–11–12 (51) | Croke Park | 15,532 | Australia 3–14–12 (72) Ireland 3–6–11 (47) | Croke Park | 15,485 | Australia 0–14–17 (59) Ireland 1–13–10 (55) | Croke Park | 27,023 | Australia |
1986 | Australia | Australia 1–14–16 (64) Ireland 5–5–12 (57) | WACA Ground | 25,000 | Ireland 3–10–14 (62) Australia 1–10–10 (46) | VFL Park | 10,883 | Ireland 4–8–7 (55) Australia 0–7–11 (32) | Football Park | 10,000 (est.) | Ireland |
1984 | Ireland | Australia 2–15–13 (70) Ireland 4–8–9 (57) | Páirc Uí Chaoimh | 8,000 | Ireland 3–18–8 (80) Australia 1–18–16 (76) | Croke Park | 12,500 | Australia 1–18–16 (76) Ireland 5–11–8 (71) | Croke Park | 32,318 | Australia |
* Sold out / Maximum Capacity
Venues
The following is a list of international rules series venues and their locations, ordered by amount of test matches hosted:
Venues (13) | City | State/county | Test matches (40) |
---|---|---|---|
Croke Park | Dublin | Dublin | 17[lower-alpha 1] |
Melbourne Cricket Ground | Melbourne | Victoria | 4[lower-alpha 2] |
Subiaco Oval | Perth | Western Australia | 4[lower-alpha 3] |
Football Park | Adelaide | South Australia | 3 (3rd test 1986, 2nd test 1999, 1st test 2001) |
WACA Ground | Perth | Western Australia | 2 (1st test 1986 & 3rd test 1990) |
Waverley Park | Melbourne | Victoria | 2 (2nd test 1986 & 1st test 1990) |
Docklands Stadium | Melbourne | Victoria | 2 (2nd test 2005 & 1st test 2011) |
Páirc Uí Chaoimh | Ballintemple | Cork | 1 (1st test 1984) |
Canberra Stadium | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | 1 (2nd test 1990) |
Pearse Stadium | Salthill | Galway | 1 (1st test 2006) |
Gaelic Grounds | Limerick | Limerick | 1 (1st test 2010) |
Carrara Stadium | Gold Coast | Queensland | 1 (2nd test 2011) |
Breffni Park | Cavan | Cavan | 1 (1st test 2013) |
Player awards
Jim Stynes Medal
The Jim Stynes Medal is awarded to the best player of the Australian team for each series. It was first awarded in 1998 and named after Jim Stynes, originally a Gaelic footballer who won the 1991 Brownlow Medal in the AFL.
- 1998 – Stephen Silvagni (Carlton)
- 1999 – Jason Akermanis (Brisbane)
- 2000 – James Hird (Essendon)
- 2001 – Matthew Lloyd (Essendon)
- 2002 – Andrew Kellaway (Richmond)
- 2003 – Brent Harvey (North Melbourne)
- 2004 – Nathan Brown (Richmond)
- 2005 – Andrew McLeod (Adelaide)
- 2006 – Ryan O'Keefe (Sydney)
- 2008 – Kade Simpson (Carlton)
- 2010 – Dane Swan (Collingwood)
- 2011 – James Kelly (Geelong)
- 2013 – Ashley McGrath (Brisbane)
- 2014 – Luke Hodge (Hawthorn)
GAA Medal
The GAA Medal (also known as the Irish Player of the Series) is awarded in similar circumstances to the Australian award, whereby the Irish player adjudged as the best performed from each series wins the medal. It has been awarded since 2004.[5]
- 2004 – Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)
- 2005 – Tom Kelly (Laois)
- 2006 – Alan Brogan (Dublin)
- 2008 – Graham Canty (Cork)
- 2010 – Colm Begley (Laois)
- 2011 – Tadhg Kennelly (Kerry/Sydney Swans)
- 2013 – Ciaran Sheehan (Cork/Carlton)
- 2014 – Conor McManus (Monaghan)
Harry Beitzel Medal
The Harry Beitzel Medal was awarded to players adjudged "fairest and best" on the field during the 1984 to 1990 series.[6] Beitzel was honoured for his pioneering of the sport and the fact that he arranged the first ever official contact between the two sports of Gaelic football and Australian rules football.
- 1984 – Jimmy Kerrigan (Ireland)
- 1986 – Robert Dipierdomenico (Australia)
- 1987 – Tony McGuinness (Australia)
- 1990 – Jack O'Shea (Ireland)
Sponsorship
The Australian team were sponsored until 2006 by Foster's, which also sponsored series held in Australia. Toyota took over both roles for the 2008 series. Australian plastic manufacturer Nylex sponsored the Australian team in 2010, whilst Toyota and Carlton Draught were guernsey sponsors for the 2011 series. Supermarket chain Coles and community health group National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) were guernsey sponsors for the 2013 series. Airline company Virgin Australia were the series and Australian team sponsor for the 2014 test match.
The Irish team, and all series held in Ireland, were sponsored by Coca-Cola until 2008. The 2010 and 2013 series in Ireland was sponsored by the Irish Daily Mail, while Irish language television station TG4 sponsored the Irish team in 2010, 2011 and 2013.[7][8] Gaelic games online streaming service GAAGO.ie were the sponsors of the Irish team for the 2014 test match.
Audience
Television
The International Rules Series has been broadcast on television in Australia and Ireland since the late 1990s. In Ireland it has usually been broadcast on RTÉ Two, though since the 2010 series it is broadcast live by Gaelic-language channel TG4. In Australia, the Seven Network broadcast the 1998–2001 series, whilst the Nine Network broadcast the 2002–2005 series. The 2006 and 2011 series have both been broadcast on Network Ten, whilst the 2008–2014 series have all been broadcast on Seven and its digital multi-channel 7mate.[9]
Apart from Australia and Ireland, the international focus of the series has seen a growing international audience. From 2005, broadcasting extended its reach to the United States via Setanta Sports North America and to Hong Kong via the Australia Network. The 2006 series was also broadcast to the United Kingdom via Setanta Sports 2. New Zealand free-to-air sports network Sommet Sports have broadcast the series since 2013.[10]
Criticisms
The series has a number of high-profile critics. Three-time All-Ireland winning Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has continually called for a cessation to the game. He said in 2008 that the tours to Australia are in essence just a free holiday for the players involved, before repeating the claim in 2011 and calling on the GAA to withdraw from the Series as it does a "total disservice to the development of Gaelic games on the international stage".[11] Similarly, Australian journalists such as Mike Sheahan have argued that the relevance of the series is diminished on account of the Australian team no longer being made up primarily of All-Australian players.[12]
Future of the series
The future of the series was brought into doubt through the on-field actions of Australian co-captain Chris Johnson, with high contact against at least three Irish players.
Following controversies in the 2006 series, the Irish team coach and GAA president again cast doubts on the future of the series. The AFL's chief, however, expressed optimism. The GAA stated that it intended to scrap the 2007 series altogether if the AFL did not abide by a set of laws that they intended to set out. Under the new rules, tackling limitations could be imposed by the GAA to minimise incidents such as the tackle laid by Australia's Danyle Pearce that knocked out Irish player Graham Geraghty in the 2006 series.[13]
In December 2006, the GAA decided to abandon the 2007 series.
"On the recommendation of the Management Committee, it was agreed that there would be no Junior or Senior Series of games in 2007...Dessie Farrell, the player's representative stated that while there would be some disappointment amongst players that the 2007 Series will not take place, the decision was, in his view, probably a wise one."[14]
Talks between the two organisations resumed in 2007 and the 2008 series went ahead without incident. Since that, despite an Australian withdrawal from the 2009 eries due to "economic concerns", the Series appeared to have a strong future.[15] Yet following the 2011 Series, concerns were raised over relatively small crowd attendances. The small crowds were blamed on a lack of high-profile AFL players being selected in the Australian team and a longer AFL season. Again, the series' temporary future was assured by GAA director general Paraic Duffy, and will return in 2013 (Ireland) and 2014 (Australia).[16] During the 2013 Series, the possibility of expanding future International Rules games into a tri-series was mooted. It is envisaged that such a series would incorporate the Indigenous All Stars team that participated in 2013, possibly against an AFL-All Star team for the right to play off against the Irish.[17] Though this idea never eventuated, it has since been mooted of the possibility of staging a series in the United States, likely in Boston and/or New York.[18]
Whilst an extremely lopsided result occurred in the 2013 series and the Australians were accused of demonstrating apathy to the concept,[19] a 2014 series featuring current and former All-Australian players occurred, one that was regarded as a demonstrable success.[20]
See also
- Australian rules football
- Gaelic football
- International rules football
- Australian international rules football team
- Ireland international rules football team
Notes
- ↑ 2nd & 3rd tests 1984, 1st 2nd & 3rd tests 1987, 1st & 2nd tests 1998, 1st & 2nd tests 2000, 1st & 2nd tests 2002, 1st & 2nd tests 2004, 2nd test 2006, 2nd test 2010, 2nd test 2013, 1st and only test 2015
- ↑ 1st test 1999, 1st test 2001, 2nd test 2003, 2nd test 2008
- ↑ 1st Test 2003, 1st Test 2005, 1st Test 2008, 1st & only Test 2014
References
- ↑ "Croke Park had never seen anything like it"
- ↑ International rules series suspended for one year
- ↑ All Stars to represent Australia in 2013 International Rules Series
- ↑ Stats reveal Irish are close
- ↑ "Australia v Ireland since 1967".
- ↑ Australia v Ireland since 1967 (Footy Stats)
- ↑ "International Rules sponsored by TG4 and Irish Daily Mail".
- ↑ Earley confirms backroom team for International Rules Series;
- ↑ International Rules on 7mate: Australia’s Indigenous All Stars set to battle Ireland
- ↑ Sommet Sports 2013 International Rules Series 1st Test details
- ↑ Harte: Rules does nothing for Gaelic games
- ↑ Hybrid game at crossroad as apathy rules
- ↑ Irish scrap next year's International Rules
- ↑ International Rules suspended for 2007
- ↑ Irish eyes smiling over International Rules Series
- ↑ Duffy announces agreement on intention to hold further series in 2013 and '14
- ↑ AFL flags international tri-series
- ↑ AFL wants International Rules in New York
- ↑ Australian apathy sends Rules series towards extinction (Irish Independent - October 2013)
- ↑ International Rules: Australia to travel to Ireland in 2015 after successful Perth match
External links
- Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) International Rules pages
- Australian Football League (AFL) International Rules pages
- WFN International Rules – News and historical information section regarding the sport
- Laws of the Game – Updated per 2014 rule changes
- AFL Europe Page.
- Footage of first test of 2010 series from YouTube
- Australia v Ireland since 1967 – Complete series results and news archive of every test match
- Hogan Stand International Rules section – IRS news section from Irish GAA website
|