Rock calls for biennial Rules series

BARNEY ROCK certainly agrees with the belief that familiarity breeds contempt. The former Dublin and Irish forward has called for the annual International Rules series between Australia and Ireland to be held every second year.

Since the hybrid game between the two countries was resurrected in 1998, a two-test series has been contested each year. That looks likely to continue until 2013 after the GAA and Australian Football League agreed a 10-year extension to the experiment during last year’s series down under.

Despite rising attendances at the games in recent games, both here and in Australia, Rock believes that holding the series every 24 months would heighten the appetite for the game among players, as well as freeing up some much-needed space in a crowded GAA calendar.