The Aussies can't afford to come to Ireland to tour ??

[Zapatista]

Replace it with an intercounty sevens weekend throughout the country.

Use eight venues throughout the country to host a group of 4.

Top two teams at each venue qualify for the finals in Croke Park on the second weekend.

Play off as four quarters, two semis and a final.

Novel, and exciting.

that's the type of thinking we need. It could be done without replacing anything though as the IN series is an 'add on' and not really part of anything. To do away with the IN would be no loss as to have it is no gain.

This sort of idea should be taken on it's own merit without any connection to the existance of the IN series.

[Bud Wiser]

Replace it with an intercounty sevens weekend throughout the country.

Use eight venues throughout the country to host a group of 4.

Top two teams at each venue qualify for the finals in Croke Park on the second weekend.

Play off as four quarters, two semis and a final.

Novel, and exciting.

Does this great plan include us mere mortals that re hurling fans as well r will everything to do with the celebrations of the GAA's 125th Anniversary be centred around football as usual ?

[bingobus]

Replace it with an intercounty sevens weekend throughout the country.

Use eight venues throughout the country to host a group of 4.

Top two teams at each venue qualify for the finals in Croke Park on the second weekend.

Play off as four quarters, two semis and a final.

Novel, and exciting.

Does this great plan include us mere mortals that re hurling fans as well r will everything to do with the celebrations of the GAA's 125th Anniversary be centred around football as usual ?

in fairness, he doesn't mention if its football or hurling 

Besides, the hurlers should be concentrating on trying to win the shinty match for a change. 

[ildanach]

The "cannot afford to tour" thing is surely a crock of shit, isn't it?

No harm and a great opportunity for the GAA to have a massive end of season festival in Croker to celebrate the 125 anniversary. Do a proper job on the interpros, maybe have squads of 25 and 4 quarters of 20 mins with unlimited interchange? The cream of every county in the mecca of Irish sports. Semis one weekend and the two finals the second Sunday. It could work if they went for it big time.

great idea magpie double header on one sunday for football in croke park, double header for hurling in semple next weekend then the 2 finals on the same day the following weekend in croke park. 3 full houses for sure

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Disappointed to hear this as I always enjoy the International Rules. Seems like a bizarre excuse fromt he Aussies. Certainly seems like they've lost interest and it could be the end of the series for at least another decade.

[Canalman]

Hopefully is the deathknell of this imo ugly mongrel game. Would like personally to see the McAnallen trophy redirected ....... maybe to the motm in the AIF, or the Young Player of the Year Award. Plenty of options open.
Same with the Tommy Murphy Cup.

[magickingdom]

ive always been a big fan of the international rules series and am very disappointed about this. the afl's excuse for cancelling is about as sensible as the gaa excuse when they refused to travel a few years back and can be summed up in a word, bull. i'd love to know whats going on here but the series is dead with the way its been treated. if anyone thinks this is going to lead to 80,000 people in cp in october for interpros or 7 a side their mistaken imo

[longrunsthefox]

Glad to hear it-is a waste of time and money.

[down6061689194]

Any event like the opening match (Dubs V Tyrone) would get my money. Was a fantastic night.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

You'd have thought listening to OZ factor that Ireland was a third world country compared to Austrailia. One of the lines was that the alternative for gaa players not going to the AFL was to be miserable for the rest of their lives. They're full of shit and this is more shit.

[red hander]

I'm telling you Zoyler, if they come over here this year they would be so confused by the time they would get out on a pitch we would hammer them. 

Imagine the stories they would have to tell, like  "thim Irish is mad, all their farmers were trying to plough up the streets outside their big grey government building, they were throwing eggs at people in sim protest outside Cavan Hispital and while all this was going on there was 80,000 of them roaring and shouting at a football match.  Thin whin we were travelling through Rathkeale on our way to Limerick there was another big crowd of thim praying to a tree stump on the soide of the road.  The best one of all over there in Oirland is that there is no recession at all, when they need money, out comes the JCB and they drive to the bank and literally dig it out. Even Meat, Cavan, Carlow and Wexford hiv good teams at this now and some of thim get up at 4am to get the diggers ready.  Some of them just borrow diggers that are left beside banks and shur well and good if they are passing they just take what they want."

I thought it was the Aussies we were on about, not the South Africans 

[orangeman]

Disappointed to hear this as I always enjoy the International Rules. Seems like a bizarre excuse fromt he Aussies. Certainly seems like they've lost interest and it could be the end of the series for at least another decade.

The excuse is on reflection a load of shite. Sean Boylan was very sceptical about it as well when bring interviewed this evening.

[fearglasmor]

The only thing that will get 80k people in croke park in Oct is  Dubs v's The Rest football match  hyped up to the hilt.

[Rossfan]

The Railway Cups are dead, 7aside tournaments or silly exhibition matches like Dublin v the Rest(of what?) will not bring 80,000 anywhere.
Back in the pre TV days 40 or 50 years ago those things worked because most people couldnt get to see many of the  big names otherwise.
Now every one can see all those names in Championship action at the flick of a button and so dont need to go to luke warm watery games between players who are gone into rest mode after a tough 8 or 9 months.

It seems the Australians are gone off the idea for whatever reason and will only come back to it if players feel they are losing out to their counterparts in Rugby Lge/Union by not being able to represent the Country.

[cornafean]

The Railway Cups are dead, 7aside tournaments or silly exhibition matches like Dublin v the Rest(of what?) will not bring 80,000 anywhere.
Back in the pre TV days 40 or 50 years ago those things worked because most people couldnt get to see many of the  big names otherwise.
Now every one can see all those names in Championship action at the flick of a button and so dont need to go to luke warm watery games between players who are gone into rest mode after a tough 8 or 9 months.

The attendances for the Dublin v Tyrone league openers in 2007 & 2009 would suggest otherwise.