Australia Triumph - One down 2 to go... |
Over 60,000 people proved yet again, why Melbourne is the Sporting Event capital of Australia. Braving wet blustery conditions the M.C.G turned on an excitment packed game that was close to the very end.
But it was Australia that kicked off a huge sports weekend with a series win over Ireland. The Aussies went down by 3 in last nights game but win on aggregate by seven points.
Australia v Ireland results - 31 October 2003
International Rules results for second Test at MCG.
IRELAND 2.2.4 2.4.6 2.8.8 2. 9.9 (48)
AUSTRALIA 0.1.1 0.4.3 1.5.6 1.10.9 (45)
Goals: Ireland: Goals: B McDonald S McDonnell. Overs: S McDonnell 3 P Joyce 2 B Coulter D Dolan A Lynch B McDonald. Australia: Goals: B Harvey. Overs: N Brown 3 D Wirrpunda 2 B Hall R Smith B Johnson B Harvey M Pavlich.
Best: Ireland: P Joyce S McDonnell T McAnallen A Lynch G Canty K McGeeney. Australia: N Brown B Johnson L Power S Crawford B Harvey M Pavlich.
Umpires: S McBurney (Aus) B White (Ire) Official crowd: 60,235 at MCG.
Australia win series on aggregate by seven points.
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Ireland push for three Tests - IRISH coach John O'Keeffe has called for the International Rules Series to be extended to three Tests after his team last night won the second Test against Australia, but lost the series.
Aussies come back from dead NEWS.com.au
Melbourne is preparing for a huge weekend of sport, culminating in the prestigious Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.
Irish in their thousands have flown into Melbourne packing restaurants, bars and hotels. Hotel accommodation is booked out.
- International rules Test [football]
- Derby Day [horse racing]
- Australia v Ireland Test [rugby union]
- Melbourne Cup
Melbourne has always welcomed international visitors but has a special place for the Irish. Melburnian's love St Patricks Day, celebrating in Irish bars that now exist in most suburbs.
THIS weekend's trifecta of sports blockbusters may not be a one-off.
There is a behind-the-scenes push to make sure the crowd-pulling package of the international rules Test, Derby Day and a Australia v Ireland rugby union Test returns to Melbourne on a regular basis.
Two parts of the equation are already in place.
The Derby has been locked in for more than a century and the AFL has a deal with the Gaelic Football Association to play in Australia every second year.
Convincing the Australian Rugby Union that the Wallabies need to be tied to a Melbourne spring extravaganza may not be as easy.
However, with this weekend expected to generate an estimated $80 million for the Victorian economy, the right people are believed to be behind the concept.
While official talks are yet to be held, the Victorian Government, Victoria Racing Club and AFL are understood to be supportive of what is an obvious winner. Corporately, Telstra, a Wallabies sponsor, is believed to be on board, as is Marvel Stadium.
Minister for Tourism John Pandazopoulos acknowledged last night the sporting triple treat was on the agenda.
"This weekend looks like being a fantastic one for Victoria, sport and our relationship with the Irish,"Pandazopoulos said.
"I am meeting with the Irish tourism minister on Monday and I will be raising it with him.
"Without having visited the logistics in detail, the idea would seem to have potential."
An Australian Rugby Union spokesman said the concept would not be out of the question, but it would depend on approval from the International Rugby Board.
"The international match schedule is complex, so in terms of being able to regularly do it is difficult,"he said.
"It is not out of the question, but it requires significant negotiation, not only with the country you want to bring here, but with the IRB as well.
"The IRB schedules these things in a way where countries get tours of equal value over time.
"Governments recognise tours like Ireland are high-value tours, and we have previously done deals with England where we played them every year.
"Ireland have been on more of a rotation system.
"We like to have Ireland here on a regular basis, but if they were to come here every two years, just where they played would be another matter for negotiation."
Source:
Herald Sun
Related Links and Information:
- International rules Test [football]
- Derby Day [horse racing]
- Australia v Ireland Test [rugby union]
- Melbourne Cup
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