Stick with series but reassess rules, says Lynch

CORK footballer Anthony Lynch does not believe the controversial International Rules Series should be abandoned.

Despite the unruly scenes which marred the Tests in Perth and Melbourne, Lynch believes that the GAA and their Australian counterparts need to learn a number of lessons from for the past fortnight.

"It would be a pity to abandon the series because of thuggery. We're all delighted to represent our country. There's no point in saying it should be called off but the GAA will have to have another look at it. The message should be: Are we going to play by the rules or not? We're not playing their game, we're playing the compromise rules. That's something they have to get over to the Australians."!

Lynch, Tyrone's Philip Jordan and Wexford's Mattie Forde unwittingly found themselves at the centre of the nastiest incident of the Series when Aussie skipper Chris Johnson lashed out in the second quarter at Melbourne's Telstra Dome on Friday.

Relaxing in the team hotel in Melbourne yesterday before leaving for a short break in Sydney with about half the squad, Lynch said that the Johnson incident "hadn't been the worst".

"There was a lot of other stuff going on as well during the game," he said.

Forde recalled challenging for a high ball. "Johnson just put his hand up, it's like running into a clothes line,'' Forde explained. "Philip Jordan went in and he (Johnson) decked him and he did the same to me.''

For Lynch it marked his sixth test appearance, - and his worst experience of violent play.

"You always expect a certain amount of pushing and shoving. In fairness, that's a part of their game, but this time it was worse. I thought the Australian referee was pretty bad in that he didn't get control. I thought Michael Collins did a lot of work to protect players, but it's kind of bad when it comes down to that. I would not be looking forward to next year."

Looking to the future, he wonders if the next manager will have to give more attention to selecting "stronger fellows." Either way, Lynch agrees that a number of things need to be sorted out. The most obvious allows the replacement of players who are red-carded.

"That rule should definitely be looked at. Johnson emptied two or three or our fellows in one tackle. And they got to bring a fresh man on.''

Forde insisted that the Irish players "tried not to retaliate for the most part but they (Australia) got away with a few really cheap shots."

He added: "In terms of the sending-off rule that's something they probably need to look at now.

"The idea of a man being sent off and then replaced is definitely something that needs to be addressed.

"After that whole incident they weren't even left at a disadvantage."

Despite the controversy surrounding the game, Forde conceded that the Irish were well beaten by a better prepared side over the series, saying: "In hindsight, I think we did too much training in the week before the First Test. I think that the series was over after that first Test. We took it easier this week and we were a little fresher."