When and where?
Saturday, 21 November.
Croke Park, 7pm.
How can I watch or listen?
RTÉ2, RTÉ Radio 1 and GAAGO will broadcast the game LIVE.
Users abroad will also be able to watch the Test in high definition on their desktop computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device using GAAGO, the Association’s global match streaming service in partnership with RTÉ Digital.
Teams
AUSTRALIA
Luke Hodge (c) (Hawthorn), Dustin Fletcher (gk) (Essendon), Hayden Ballantyne (Fremantle), Eddie Betts (Adelaide), Grant Birchall (Hawthorn), Luke Breust (Hawthorn), Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong), Andrew Gaff (West Coast), Brendon Goddard (Essendon), Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide), Dyson Heppell (Essendon), Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn), Leigh Montagna (St Kilda), David Mundy (Fremantle), Robert Murphy (Western Bulldogs), Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda), Tom Rockliff (Brisbane Lions), Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn), Nick Smith (Sydney Swans), Jake Stringer (Western Bulldogs), Harry Taylor (Geelong), Easton Wood (Western Bulldogs)
Coach: Alastair Clarkson (Hawthorn)
IRELAND
Bernard Brogan (c) (Dublin), Lee Keegan (vc) (Mayo), Niall Morgan (gk) (Tyrone), Colm Begley (Laois), Gary Brennan (Clare), Eoin Cadogan (Cork), Mattie Donnelly (Tyrone), Eoin Doyle (Kildare), Peter Harte (Tyrone), Darren Hughes (Monaghan), Paul Kerrigan (Cork), Jack McCaffrey (Dublin), Ciaran McDonald (Tipperary), Phillip McMahon (Dublin), Conor McManus (Monaghan), Rory O’Carroll (Dublin), John O’Loughlin (Laois), Aidan O’Shea (Mayo), Michael Quinn (Longford), Donnchadh Walsh (Kerry), Diarmuid Connolly (Dublin), Paul Cribbin (Kildare), Paddy McBrearty (Donegal)
Coach: Joe Kernan (Armagh)
How each country picks its team
AUSTRALIA
Hawthorn’s four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson takes charge of the Aussies for the second straight time following last year’s convincing win in Perth. Australia has retained the selection policy that helped it win last year’s Test, selecting only players who have received All Australian honours during their careers.
Dustin Fletcher passed a fitness test in September to contest in his fifth IR series, while 14 members of the successful 2014 team are back again. Chad Wingard was a late withdrawal with a knee injury, replaced by Hayden Ballantyne.
IRELAND
After a two-year stint for former manager Paul Earley, the GAA opted for 2002 All-Ireland winning Armagh manager Joe Kernan to lead the Irish.
In all, there are 12 counties from across all four provinces represented in the match day 23 and the county breakdown is Dublin (5), Tyrone (3), Laois, Kildare, Cork, Monaghan, Mayo (2 each), Clare, Tipperary, Longford, Kerry and Donegal (1 each).
Footballer of the Year Jack McCaffrey is one of 9 newly-crowned Allstars named in Kernan’s squad, captained by Dublin’s Bernard Brogan.
For the first time since 2005, Ireland has decided to not select AFL players, meaning the likes of Brisbane Lion Pearce Hanley and Carlton’s Zach Tuohy will be not be involved.
The game in a nutshell
The International Rules game is 15-a-side with eight interchange players. It is played in four 18-minute quarters.
A goal (worth six points) is scored when the ball is kicked or knocked into the net.
Sending the ball over the crossbar and between the uprights is an ‘over’, worth three points, while a behind is just like Australian football – worth one point and kicked between the goal and point posts.
Here’s a snapshot of the rules:
• If the ball hits a post and bounces back into play, it’s play on.
• When the ball goes out of the rectangular field (145m x 90m), there are no boundary throw-ins. A free kick is awarded against the team that last touched the ball.
• You can’t pick up the ball or drag it in when you’re on your knees.
• The ball must be bounced every 10m on a solo run – with a two-bounce maximum.
• Tackles can only be between the thighs and shoulders, while shirtfronts (frontal charge) and shepherds (the act of legally pushing, bumping or blocking an opposing player from gaining possession of the ball or reaching the contest) are outlawed.
• AFL-style handpasses are permitted, but only four in succession before a player must kick.
• The referee is also permitted to give yellow cards (10 minutes off the pitch) or red cards (sent off for the rest of the game) depending on the extent of a misdemeanour.
History
Including all series from 1984, Ireland and Australia are deadlocked heading for Croke Park.
Ireland have won 9 series, as have Australia, but the Irish have won 20 test matches compared to Australia’s 17.
Ireland have scored a total of 2,212 points, ahead of Australia’s combined tally of 2,069.
- Biggest series win (1998–2014): 101 points, 2013, Ireland 173 – 72 Australia
- Biggest test win (1998–2014): 79 points, second test 2013, Ireland 116 – 37 Australia
- Closest series (1998–2014): 5 points, 2008, Australia 97–102 Ireland
- Highest-scoring test (1998–2014): 164 points, first test 2005, Australia 100–64 Ireland
- Lowest-scoring test (1998–2014): 84 points, second test 2002, Ireland 42–42 Australia
- Highest attendance (1998–2014): 82,127, Croke Park, second test 2006
- Highest attendance (1984–1990): 32,318, Croke Park, third test 1984
- Lowest attendance (1998–2014): 12,545, Metricon Stadium, second test 2011
- Lowest attendance (1984–1990): 7,000, Bruce Stadium, second test 1990
- Average attendance (1998–2014): 42,898
- Average attendance (1984–1990): 33,648
- Record point scorer: Steven McDonnell (Ireland & Armagh), 118 points
Additional information from the AFL.
