Not the perfect result, but Rules Series a winner

AS predicted, the Irish players raised their game considerably and very nearly pulled off a famous victory against the Australians at Croke Park on Saturday night.

Most observers predicted doom and gloom for Ireland after the first test in Limerick, but I felt that there was enough skill and determination within the squad to seriously trouble the Australians. Unfortunately, Ireland waited until well into the second-half before they clicked into gear. But they did so in emphatic style and with a little more composure and a stronger bench they could well have won the game and the series.

Nevertheless, two major positives emerged from the evening. Firstly, the International Series does have a future and, if played in the right spirit by the best players in both countries, can be truly entertaining and hugely competitive. Violence marred the series too often in the past. This was often, I believe, directly related to the attitude of the Australian manager. This year, Mick Malthouse took a different approach to some of his predecessors; the teams he sent out were more interested in the ball than the man.