COLM BEGLEY HAS called for physicality to be brought back into the International Rules series and believes that will help attract fans to the hybrid game.
The future of the series between Ireland and Australia has come under scrutiny in the wake of last Saturday nightโs lacklustre first test.
But ahead of the second test in Croke Park next Saturday night, Laois player Begley, who is a former AFL player with the Brisbane Lions, believes there is a place for physicality in the game.
โThe physicality was somethingย in 2006 that went overboard. I think it was blown out of proportion a little and they need to let that back into the game.
โThe shepherd rule was taken out. I donโt mind shepherd, it involves a player taking himself out of the game to help his team mate. And done within the rules, itโs shoulder to shoulder.
โI donโยt see the problem in two players going at it, toe to toe and having a bit of push and shove. Thatยs all part of this game. And it should be.
โIt gets the crowd going and people see the passion and they get involved in that as well. You saw when Franklin knocked over Kilkenny (last Saturday). That got the biggest roar of the game, in essence.
โI just found that in the game the other night was a bit dead at some stages and Iโm sure the fans found that too. The players were trying but it just needs to lift up a small bit more.โ
Irelandโs Aidan Walsh and Ciaran Kilkenny tackle Steven Motlop of Australia
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Begley is expecting a strong Australian response next Saturday after their 57-35 defeat in Kingspan Breffni Park last Saturday night.
โI know from talking to Mick OโLoughlin and Tadhg (Kennelly), they were very disappointed with the performance. They will be pushing their players very hard to come back next weekend.
โI think the Aussies will put a bit of a physical presence into it and obviously their pride is hurt a small bit after losing the game.โ
And the Australian squad have also had to suffer criticism over their socialising after last Saturdayโs clash.
โIโm sure some of the players who werenโt involved will be annoyed by it and will want to prove a point,โ says Begley. โYou can paint the whole team with one brush but it wasnโt the case.
โIโm sure theyโll be hurting about that. They want to perform and show the skills and the pride they have in their country and for themselves.โ
Honour
Begley insists it remains a great honour to represent Ireland in the competition.
โI donโt care what it is โ give me a table tennis table and a racket โ Iโll play for my country in any sport.
โFor a game where you can play against professional players, play with the best players in Ireland and get the chance to train professionally as we do, itโs a very special moment.
โIโd like to see it available for younger kids coming through and for great players coming through. Itโs very hard to beat.โ
God English football is becoming more and more like the NFL. This tiny thing that means nothing. If your going to show support do something meaningful. Not change the corner flags for a week
I think the only people that care about being gay are gay people. The majority of society couldnt give a rolax!!
Ridiculous stuff. No one cares if a lad is gay, straight, bi, trans, whateverโฆas long as heโs getting fantasy points
@Theresonly1Liamo123: Too much people care! If only people minded their own beeswax there would be no need for these flags.
@Coner Willis: My eyes hurt reading that. It should say, Too many people not too much people.
Look at all the straight people telling minorities that thereโs no such thing as oppression . Why have no gay footballers come out? With all the players in the premier league youโd imagine there has to be at least a few gay lads. I think itโs because the asian market is massive to the epl and also a lot of Asian and African countries are still living in the 1950โฒs when it comes to gay rights etc. Truly believe there are gay footballers who are warned against coming out of the closet
@William Motley: Haha ! And you think having rainbow corner flags is going to make them come out. Daft bullshit.
@Mike Flannery: itโs a step in the right direction.
@Ger: bs. So if there is a homophobic element in the stands, forcing their teamsโ to adopt rainbow flags if going to make the problem go away? If anything it will make people worse and all this will do is paper over the cracks and have mullets getting more vocal, causing arguments among their own fans.
@deano connors: no one is forcing clubs to adopt rainbow flags or laces. It is up to individual clubs Thankfully most (but not all) clubs do. Will it make homophobic fans less homophobic? Of course not. The boot racism out of football initiative didnโt stop racists being racist but it drastically decreased the amount of racist abuse from the stands in English football. To the point where being caught using racist language can get you a lifetime ban from the ground. This is what can and will happen with homophobic abuse eventually, which is what this is a step in the right direction towards. As a gay man who played competitive team sports as a teen I would have felt a lot more at ease in my surroundings had there been something like this when I played.
@William Motley: Iโm laughing here . Itโs sport. What the hell does someone sexuality matter . If the guy is doing his job ,who the hell cares about anything else . Are we so pc mad that itโs become a joke . We used to just enjoy the beautiful game for what it was. Now football is non contact ,no lauguage . Sad very sad
Ref no way is that a goal kick. Stonewall cornerโฆ..
What a load of cobblers and typical of this bleeding heart ridiculous generation
Most of us donโt want to know what anybody elseโs orientations are. What has it got to do with football or any other occupation?
This ridiculous token does LG** more harm than good.
More politics in sport by the Brits.