IRELAND v AUSTRALIA:AT WEDNESDAY night's social event to bring together the International Rules teams, Ireland assistant coach Anthony Tohill made a crack about hoping Australia didn't keep improving, otherwise we'd have to look at the rules again, writes Seán Moran

It was slightly risque given that the amended rules are meant only to rebalance the game and make it more competitive.

But there is an uncomfortable sense about the resumed Toyota International Rules series, which begins this evening in Perth, that it is desperately struggling to stay afloat as the waves threaten to whip up in the next eight days, during which the series and potentially the future of the internationals will be decided.

Tohill's counterpart and former playing contemporary Nathan Buckley had earlier in the week made the point that it would be unacceptable to make a habit of endlessly tweaking rules to try to keep one side competitive.

Yet, with the best will in the world, it must be said that is what has been going on since the series was abruptly halted nearly two years ago.

In a way, the game has to respond to developments, and the past two series suggest Australia's emphasis on speed and creating the space that allows them to get shots away is a gauntlet that Ireland have yet to pick up.

There is also a growing realisation that the disadvantages Australia bring into the series can be worked at by individuals - handling a round ball or even the tutelage of personal goalkeeping coaches - whereas the features alien to Ireland are all intrinsic to the contest: the mark and tackle.

In neither case is the problem the specific skill. Irish players are used to catching ball in the air - although many still instinctively prefer to let it bounce or use the bounce to bring it under control - and they have been plugging away with the tackle bags.

The affect of this during a match is, however, different. For instance, Ireland, unused to the mark, tend to concentrate too much on getting back and respecting the distance or securing possession, whereas the Australians frequently play through and surprise their opponents.

Making tackles is just one aspect of the process, and even then Ireland are always in danger of being stilted in the execution. More difficult is having the awareness to move the ball quickly and not panic when an opponent is making a runway of the distance between him and you.

The tackle has been rendered potentially less physical and the restrictions on solo running will force the Australians to break every four hand passes in order to kick. Two problems arise: first, Irish players are by this stage just as fond of endlessly looping hand passes and, second, there is some evidence from training and private conversation with the AFL that the hosts will simply deliver short, stab-kicked passes to keep moves running.

While all of this evolutionary activity is going on, there is the added distraction of the new rules on discipline. The threat posed by ill temper and violence is a lot more pressing than that of one-sidedness.

At yesterday's media conference, Ireland manager Seán Boylan said rather interestingly that he felt the series would not perish even if Ireland got hammered: "Not if it's a good game."

Aside from the difficulty of deeming a 40- or 50-point win for either side "a good game", this was interesting in that it showed the extent to which good behaviour really is the sole criterion going into this evening's Test.

Yet it's not so easy to play down the physical aspect of the game. A certain amount of legitimate aggression is part of the game, and when that is stilted - as in Salthill two years ago - the game can become curiously flat.

That's actually one of the advantages Ireland have this evening. If the Australians are as keen to behave as they were in the first Test in 2006 (as opposed to the altered state of mind in which they clearly began the second a week later), there'll be an opening for the visitors.

Otherwise the indicators point to the hosts.

Yes, it's easy to be overly swayed by what you saw the last time despite the passage of years and the change in personnel. Yes, Ireland captain Seán Cavanagh enthused that this is the best-prepared team he's been involved in.

Nonetheless, the basic collision between the AFL team's ability to work at sheer, rocket-fuel pace - and that includes the support runners converging from either side - and Ireland's capacity to keep up with and close down the attacks is such it's hard to be too optimistic.

If Ireland can break up that momentum and deprive their opponents of the space necessary to use the round ball effectively, then you would be confident that proven scorers such as Steven McDonnell and Benny Coulter, and less experienced operatives like Paddy Bradley and Michael Meehan, would give Ireland a scoring edge, particularly with the Australians short some of their best scoring power, Ryan O'Keefe and Barry Hall, from recent series.

Overall though, it might be wise not to raise hopes much beyond a decently competitive Test played with a sense of responsibility towards the game and those future players who might aspire to representing their country.

Running the rule over the rules

•The trophy is called the Cormac McAnallen Cup after the Tyrone and Ireland player.

•The field measures 145 metres by 90 metres.

•Matches last 72 minutes, or four 18-minute quarters.

•A goal is worth six points, an over (a point in Gaelic football) is worth three and a behind (between goal post and outer post) is worth one.

•If both teams have won one match following the Tests in Perth and Melbourne, the team with the higher aggregate score is awarded the series.

•AFL umpire Stephen McBurney and GAA referee Pat McEnaney will officiate. There will also be an independent video match referee, South African lawyer Ian Curlewis, who will record yellow- and red-card offences not spotted by the officials.

•Red cards result in a player being sent off and not replaced. Yellow cards result in sinbinning for 10 minutes.

•A tackle constitutes grabbing an opponent in possession of the football between the shoulders and thighs, using both arms. One-armed tackles are banned.

•A mark will be awarded if a player catches the ball after it has been kicked at least 15m.

•When running with the ball, players must bounce or touch it on the ground every 10m (or six steps). However, there is no limit to the number of times players can "solo", or toe-tap the ball between hand and foot, instead of bouncing.

•Shoulder charges or bumps are allowed, provided neither player is airborne and the football is no more than 5m away.

•Suspensions shall apply during the AFL and NFL seasons.

•Slinging, slamming or driving an opponent into the ground when executing a tackle shall be deemed gross misconduct and earn a red card.

•Inter-change players will be allowed from the match panel of 24, 15 of whom will start, but changes are restricted to 10 per quarter.

•The goalkeeper is the only player permitted to take kick-outs from within the 13m rectangle. All other players must remain outside the 20m line until the ball has been kicked into play.

•Teams in possession of the football shall not be allowed to make more than four consecutive hand-passes before disposing of the ball by foot.