2008 International Rules Series Explained

2008 International Rules Series
Event:	International Rules Series
Team1:	Australia
Team1association:
Team1score:	97
Team2:	Ireland
Team2association:
Team2score:	102
Details:	97–102 on aggregate, Ireland win series 2–0
Firstleg:	First test
Team1score1:	44
Team2score1:	45
Date1:	24 October 2008
Stadium1:	Subiaco Oval
City1:	Perth
Referee1:	Pat McEnaney (Ireland) Steve McBurney (Australia)
Attendance1:	35,153
Secondleg:	Second test
Team1score2:	53
Team2score2:	57
Date2:	31 October 2008
Stadium2:	Melbourne Cricket Ground
City2:	Melbourne
Referee2:	Pat McEnaney (Ireland) Steve McBurney (Australia)
Attendance2:	42,823
Television:	Seven Network (Australia) RTÉ Two (Ireland)
Previous:	2006
Next:	2010

The 2008 International Rules Series was the 14th annual International Rules Series and was played between Ireland and Australia.

After the 2007 series was cancelled by the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Australian Football League and the GAA agreed in 2008 to resume the series.

The matches were played in Australia – 24 October in Perth, Western Australia and 31 October in Melbourne (after the AFL Grand Final and All-Ireland Senior Football Championship).^[1]

Ireland won by five points on aggregate after recording victories in both tests.

Rule changes

• Maximum of 14 interchanges per quarter.^[2]
• Teams are allowed only four consecutive hand passes (ball must then be kicked).^[3]
• Match time reduced from 20 to 18 minutes per quarter (with stoppage time for breaks in play).^[4]
• Goalkeeper can no longer kick the ball to himself from the kick-out.^[4]
• Suspensions may carry over the GAA and AFL matches if The Match Review Panel see fit.^[4]
• A dangerous "slinging" tackle will be an automatic red card.^[2]
• A shirtfront endangering the head will result in a red card.^[2]
• Physical intimidation can result in a yellow card.^[2]
• One-handed tackles result in a free kick.^[2]
• An independent referee can cite players for reportable offenses from the stands.^[2]
• Yellow cards sin bin reduced to 10 minutes.^[4]

Squads

Australia			Ireland
Name	Team	Position	Name	Team	Position
					Coach
					Captain
					Vice-captain
		Vice-captain
			Kevin Reilly
		Captain
		Vice-captain
		Coach
					On Standby
					On Standby
					On Standby
					On Standby

Notes:

• Main sources for squads: BBC Sport Online^[5] and Hogan Stand.^[6]
• Kerry's Tommy Walsh was named on the original Irish squad, but had to withdraw due to club commitments with Kerins O'Rahilly's. He was replaced by Paul Finlay.^[7]
• Dublin's Bernard Brogan was named on the Irish original squad, but had to withdraw due to club commitments with St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh. He was replaced by Martin McGrath.^{[8] [9]}
• The match-day squad for both teams was limited to 24 players each.^[10] Thus Australia (who had a 25 man squad) had to drop one player for each test and Ireland (who had a 27 man squad) had to drop three players.^[10]

Ireland manager Boylan was criticised for including David Gallagher in his squad, as he was not then playing inter-county football.^[11]

Irish management team

• Coach – Seán Boylan
• Selectors:
  • Anthony Tohill
  • Hugh Kenny
  • Eoin Liston
• Runner – Seán Marty Lockhart
• Backroom team:
  • Trevor Brennan (fitness & tackling)
  • Mike McGurn (fitness & tackling)
• Tour Manager – Seán Walsh
• Assistant Tour Manager – Tommy Kilcoyne
• Team doctor – Owen Clarke
• Physiotherapist – Frank Foley
• Masseur – Martin Regan
• Kit manager – Owen Lynch
• Waterboys – Ciaran Boylan and Pauric Gallagher

Notes:

• Main sources: Hogan Stand^{[12] [13]}

Refereeing team

• Main referees – Pat McEnaney (Ireland) and Stephen McBurney (Australia)
• Standby referees / linesmen – David Coldrick (Ireland) and Brett Rosebury (Australia)
• Umpires – Gearóid Ó Conámha & John Bannon (Ireland) and Steven Axon & Peter Nastasi (Australia)
• Video match referee – Ian Curlewis (South Africa)

Notes:

• Main source: Hogan Stand^[12]

Matches

First test

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Australia	0.0.1	0.5.4	0.7.7	0.12.8	0.12.8 (44)
Ireland	0.1.6	1.2.7	3.5.8	3.6.9	3.6.9 (45)
Ireland won by 1 point

Date	Friday 24 October 2008
Scoring (AUS)	Goals: NilOvers: Marc Murphy 4, Matt Campbell 2, Scott Thompson 2, Leigh Montagna, Brent Harvey, Michael Osborne, David Rodan
Scoring (IRL)	Goals: Seán Cavanagh, Leighton Glynn, Steven McDonnell Overs: Seán Cavanagh 2, Paddy Bradley, Leighton Glynn, Kieran Donaghy, Ciarán Lyng
Best	AUS: Murphy, Selwood, Harvey, Simpson, Thomas, OsborneIRL: Glynn, Cavanagh, Gallagher, Joe McMahon, McKeever, Canty, Hanley
Reports	Campbell Brown (Australia) – yellow card (10-minute sin bin)
Injuries	None
Venue
Attendance	35,153
Umpires	Steve McBurney (Australia) Pat McEnaney (Ireland)
Match stats
AFL.com Match overview AFL.com Match report RTÉ Match report Hogan Stand report

Second test

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Australia	0.4.3	0.5.5	1.6.9	3.8.11	3.8.11 (53)
Ireland	0.3.3	2.6.6	3.8.8	4.8.9	4.8.9 (57)
Ireland won by 4 points

Date	Friday 31 October 2008
Scoring (AUS)	Goals: Shaun Burgoyne, Marc Murphy, Drew Petrie Overs: Drew Petrie 2, Daniel Wells 2, Jared Brennan, Campbell Brown, Shaun Burgoyne, Michael Osborne
Scoring (IRL)	Goals: Benny Coulter 2, Kieran Donaghy, Enda McGinley Overs: Seán Cavanagh 4, Paddy Bradley, Benny Coulter, Kieran Donaghy, Paul Finlay
Best	AUS: Crowley, Simpson, Boyd, Harvey, Petrie IRL: Canty, Coulter, Cavanagh, Glynn, Bradley
Reports	None
Injuries	None
Venue
Attendance	42,823
Umpires	Steve McBurney (Australia) Pat McEnaney (Ireland)
Match stats
AFL.com Match overview AFL.com Match report RTÉ Match report

Notes and References

1. http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/international-rules-back-on-track-as-two-dates-confirmed-1391811.html International Rules back on track as two dates confirmed
2. News: Through Irish eyes. Dan Silkstone. 19 October 2008. The Sunday Age. 8.
3. News: Paddy . Heaney . Time for talk is over . . 58 . 23 October 2008 .
4. News: Paddy . Heaney . The rules of engagement: A brief guide . . 58 . 23 October 2008 .
5. Web site: Ireland squad has nine Ulstermen . 2008-10-20 . BBC Sport Online . 2008-10-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081012002414/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7657189.stm. 12 October 2008 . live.
6. Web site: Aussies name youthful squad . 2008-10-20 . . 2008-10-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121019134241/http://www.hoganstand.com/int_rules/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=102139 . 19 October 2012 . dead . dmy-all .
7. Web site: Finlay called up for Ireland duty . 2008-10-20 . . 2008-10-15 .
8. News: Coilin . Duffy . McGrath happy to grab his chance . . 2008-10-17 . 2008-10-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201813/http://www.irishnews.com/searchlog.asp?reason=denied_empty&script_name=%2Fpageacc.asp&path_info=%2Fpageacc.asp&tser1=ser&sid=600415 . 2016-03-03 .
9. Web site: McGrath called up . 2008-10-20 . . 2008-10-16 .
10. News: Paddy . Heaney . TOUR sidelines . . 57 . 24 October 2008 .
11. News: Boylan tight-lipped on Meath vacancy. Meath Chronicle. 5 November 2008.
12. Web site: Boylan names his selectors . 2008-10-22 . . 2008-09-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121019134300/http://www.hoganstand.com/int_rules/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=101537 . 19 October 2012 . dead . dmy-all .
13. Web site: Rugby duo assisting Rules squad . 2008-10-22 . . 2008-09-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121019134507/http://www.hoganstand.com/int_rules/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=101563 . 19 October 2012 . dead . dmy-all .