International Rules: A bluffer’s guide

Ireland host Australia in Saturday's International Rules test at Croke Park - a 19th meeting since their inaugural clash in GAA headquarters in 1984.

The game is a hybrid adaption of our very own Gaelic football, and the AFL’s Australian Rules football - a compromise between the two codes.

The rules then are a mixture of the two games - and at that not always the easiest to follow. But fear not, here’s our very own bluffer’s guide to International Rules football.

So I see they play with a GAA ball right?

Yes you’re dead right, often the biggest challenge for the Aussies is coming to terms with our round ‘O’Neills’ - considering their own domestic ball - or Sherrin - is oval in shape. That’s not the only rule in our favour though - International Rules is 15-a-side, unlike the AFL where they play 18-a side.

Each team is allowed eight interchange players - there are 15 interchanges permitted per quarter, and an unlimited number allowed at the quarter, half and three quarter time intervals. The game is played in four 18-minute quarters, with a hooter signalling the end of each period.

And they use GAA goalposts too?

Well the scoring systems are a mixture of both games. Yes there’s a GAA goal on what is pretty much a GAA size and lined pitch (145m x 90m), with a goal and with that the need for a goalkeeper (neither of which are in the AFL). And the two posts either side of all that, no they’re not for flags - if you kick the ball between those posts and the goal posts, yes wide, then you get a point. That’s called a behind and comes from AFL. If you kick over the bar you get three points, called an over, and a goal is work six points.

Which game do they take the tackle from?

The near hand tackle, for what it’s worth, is out the window here. Tackles can be between the thighs and shoulders, coming via a rugby-like technique. This is an area of the game where the Irish have traditionally struggled, and one which gives the Australians a clear advantage. Although it could be worse - what the visitors term as a ‘shirtfront’ in their own game (a collision between two players, where one player is hit front-on by another player coming from the opposite direction) and “Sheperding” (a defensive tactic of blocking an opposing player from reaching a contest) are not allowed.

And who referees all of this madness?

The team of match officials include the linesmen, goal umpires, two referees (field umpires), a video match referee, timekeepers, interchange coordinators and interchange stewards. There are two referees on the field of play, one for each half of the pitch and one from each country. The referee is permitted to give a yellow card which acts as a 10 minute sin-binning and a red card which will dismiss a player for the remainder of the game.

Do the Aussies have to solo?

No. There’s no requirement to solo the ball, although some of the more skilful AFL players in the past have tried. Players can pick up the ball cleanly off the ground, as long as they are not on their knees, and they can run 10 metres before bouncing the ball - but there’s a two-bounce maximum. The maximum number of consecutive handpasses allowed is six - kick passing is allowed, of course. The clean fielding of a ball which has been kicked 15 metres or more is awarded with a mark.

Oh so there are marks. How do they work?

A mark allows a player to have a free kick from the point in which he cleanly won possession, so opposition players can line up just in front of this point forcing players to reverse and line up a kick, or if they please to play on. Recent rule changes though have prevented marks from being awarded for backwards passes, helping to keep the ball in play for longer, but also preventing the Irish players from one of their traditional methods of avoiding the tackle area.

A player cannot be tackled once he has made a mark, and as ‘shepherding’ is not allowed a player also cannot be tackled when not in possession. This will explain the annual soccer skills on show from some of the Irish players. As they cannot be tackled while the ball is on the ground, they often figure, let’s keep it there. Get ready for the “11 GAA players who could have made the Irish soccer team” articles clogging up your twitter feed.

And if they do break these rules?

Foul play will, as in GAA, result in a free-kick, or if inside the large rectangle a penalty from 11 metres will be awarded and can be taken out of the hands or off the ground. Also a red card shall result in a penalty.

Another recent rule change now requires goalkeepers to kick the ball out beyond the 45m line after all wides, behinds and overs. An add-on which actually suited the Irish players in last year's test as David Moran ruled the skies - probably given the traditional role the restart plays in our games. The AFL is renowned for it's spectacular high-fielding, although the trajectory of the ball they compete under is very different to that of a kick out.

But these Australian lads are professionals?

Yeah the major difference is one team are a group and professionals and Ireland as we know are all amateurs, yet both nations have won nine series each. And there is little expected to separate the teams again this year. There used to be two tests between the nations, but last year was the start of a one-off encounter aimed to increase interest from both players and supporters.

There used to be two tests between the nations, but last year was the start of a one-off encounter aimed to increase interest from both players and supporters. Read the full rules of play here - minus the amendments mentioned above which were introduced before the 2014 test.