2020 International Rules Series

The 2020 International Rules Series was to be the 21st International Rules Series contested by Gaelic footballers from Ireland and Australian footballers from Australia. The series would have been held in Ireland and was to be the first series to be arranged by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and Australian Football League (AFL) since November 2017.[1] It was cancelled in April 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland.[2]

2020 International Rules Series
EventInternational Rules Series
Ireland Australia
First test
Ireland Australia
Date15 November 2020 (cancelled)
Second test
Australia Ireland
Date21 November 2020 (cancelled)

Background

The previous series between the countries had been held in and won by Australia in November 2017.[3] As the GAA had scheduled an exhibition hurling match between Galway and Kilkenny at the Sydney Showground Stadium in November 2018, the two associations met to discuss the prospect of holding a series the following year.[4] As time passed, plans for a series in 2019 did not materialise, and the GAA eventually confirmed that insufficient time remained to stage the event.[5] In November 2019 the AFL and GAA proposed dates for a two-test series in 2020 to be held in Ireland.[1][6] The GAA also proposed to hold a memorial ahead of the second test in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday massacre, which saw fourteen civilians killed at a Gaelic football match at Croke Park during the Irish War of Independence.[7] On 4 April 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, the AFL announced the cancellation of the series.[8][2]

Outcome

The 2020 Leinster Senior Football Championship Final (featuring Dublin, who won) was held on the date originally intended for the second test, with the centenary commenoration plan happening around this and the 2020 Munster Senior Football Championship Final the following day (that match by coincidence featuring Tipperary, who also won - this being the more surprising result).[9][10]

See also

References
  1. "International Rules is back: Ireland series locked in for 2020". AFL.com.au. 19 November 2019.
  2. "Future of International Rules series up in the air as 2020 games cancelled due to coronavirus crisis". independent.ie. Independent News & Media. 5 April 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  3. "Australia claims come-from-behind win over Ireland to regain Cormac McAnallen Cup". Herald Sun. 18 November 2017. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  4. "Future of International Rules series facing further compromise". The Irish Times. 30 October 2018.
  5. "International Rules still on agenda, for 2020". The Age. 13 June 2019.
  6. "Two-test International Rules Series to be played in Ireland next year". The Irish Examiner. 18 November 2019.
  7. "Rules return to feature Bloody Sunday memorial". Independent.ie. 19 November 2019.
  8. McFarlane, Glenn (5 April 2020). "AFL calls off International Rules series this year, with doubts on its future viability". Herald Sun. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  9. https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40086968.html
  10. "Stars align as heroic Tipperary shock Cork for first Munster SFC title in 85 years". Irish Examiner. 22 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
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