Tomorrow at Croke Park, the International Rules experiment begins its attempted revival with the first test of the re-instituted series, sponsored by Coca Cola. Given that the last series was played in 1990 and only two players, Kevin O'Brien and Jim Stynes, survive from then, this is to all intents and purposes a new start for the game.

There has always been a gulf between the exciting potential of the concept and the seriousness with which players and public have treated it. The current schedule takes the series up to 2001, by which stage it will have either established itself or remained becalmed.

Although the shorter, two-test series makes sense in cutting back on the demands facing players in what is to be an annual event, it also diminishes the marketing opportunities. Previous series featured three tests and at least one warm-up match which gave the public a chance to warm to the event.

This year, Australia arrived only four days before the first test, which has reduced the publicity surrounding the match and put pressure on the visitors to acclimatise in a hurry, a point conceded by coach Leigh Matthews during Thursday's press conference. In 1990, Ireland arrived 10 days before the first test in Melbourne.

Perceptions in both hemispheres that International Rules is something of an afterthought arise from the respective sporting calendars in Ireland and Australia, as both Gaelic football and Australian Rules seasons climax at the end of September. The Australians will be back in training next month, so October is the only viable time of the year for touring.

On the home front, it has the disadvantage of being becalmed in the immediate aftermath of the All-Ireland as well as clashing with the tail-end of the county championships around the country. This latter consideration has also cost Ireland the services of two players, Martin Daly and Niall Buckley, who have club commitments in Clare and Kildare respectively.

Both constitute a loss. Buckley played in Australia whereas Daly's scoring talents impressed manager Colm O'Rourke in the Omagh trial match last week. But the withdrawal is also an embarrassment and raises a question about the co-ordination of the final panel. The problem has arisen in the past, with club activity affecting the availability of players right back to the inaugural series of 1984. With such precedents in mind, surely only unambiguously available players should have been named.

The visitors have a more relaxed view of the series, which is seen as primarily a reward for the best players of the recent Rules season, as selected on the All-Australian side. Irish teams have traditionally been picked with the International Rules game in mind and don't always include the best footballers of any given season.

With neither side having had much preparation, calling the outcome is impossible. In the six years, 1984-90, it was possible for a core of players from both countries to develop expertise and experience and that gave continuity to the series - a continuity now lost.

Looking through the Ireland panel, it isn't hard to anticipate most of the players who will be involved tomorrow. Of the 25 named, 20 will play - 15 starting and five interchange. Although the team is lined out as in Gaelic Football, the game is actually far more fluid, with an emphasis on mobility and quick movement of the ball.

In Australian Rules the 18 players line out without a goalkeeper in a 3-3-3-3-3 (back, half-back, centre line, half-forward, forward) formation with three "on-the-ball" players, generally a ruckman who wins aerial ball and two rovers.

Judged by a crude guide as to what has won previous series, Ireland lack the dominant central personality of players like Jack O'Shea and Jim Stynes (who played for his native country in 1990, for Australia in '87 and also lines out with them this year).

John McDermott captains the side but will be under pressure to emulate his predecessors around the middle, as will Anthony Tohill, whose form has been erratic in recent years but whose experience of and aptitude for the Australian game raises expectations.

Ireland's defence looks more mobile and less physically imposing than previously. It will be interesting to see if the rocketing standards of fitness in both games have maintained the slight advantage the Australians have always enjoyed, particularly over 80 minutes.

Kevin O'Brien's original omission was as surprising as his restoration is welcome. One of the stars of 1990, his ability to kick overs (points in Gaelic, worth three points) and his experience seemed to make him an obvious choice even though he is no longer in the first flush of youth.

For the Australians, the main players will be the mobile runners. Robert Harvey, winner of a second consecutive Brownlow Medal (effectively player of the year), will be probably supplemented by Todd Viney, Anthony Stevens and Wayne Campbell.

Captain Wayne Carey is strong and aggressive up forward and always dangerous in the air. Although the huge ruckmen Shaun Rehn (6 ft 9 in) and Peter Everitt (6 ft 8 in) are in the panel, it's unlikely they'll both be deployed around the middle, with a posting further forward to take marks near the posts a possibility.

Touring teams are supposedly most vulnerable in their opening match and given the Australians' short acclimatisation period, this will be especially true tomorrow. Whether Ireland have the groundwork done to capitalise is the major imponderable in what should be an absorbing encounter.