The GAA'S international dimension comes under the spotlight twice later this week, first with the departure of the Irish team to play Scotland in the hurling/shinty internationals at senior and under-21 level, and then the announcement of details of the under-17 International Rules tour to Australia.

Under the management of former Galway player and manager John Tobin, the Irish juniors will play three full tests against Australia. Two of these, the first in Melbourne and the third in Adelaide, will be broadcast live by Australian sports station Channel 7, as they will be curtain-raisers for Australian Rules league matches expected to draw crowds of around 70,000.

The team travelling to Scotland will be drawn from Leinster, an honour earned by the province's victory in last November's Railway Cup final. Last year, Munster represented Ireland. The travelling panel will be announced together with sponsorship details tomorrow at Croke Park.

John Tobin's under-17s have been training together regularly since the selection process began in earnest last September with the assessment of 500 players. None of those involved in last April's defeat by the visiting Australians are again available for selection.

The age group was chosen in order to draw the players from fifth year or transition year at school, rather than the more pressurised Leaving Cert year.

In Australia, there is no equivalent amongst the clubs of minor or under-16 teams. The AFL sponsors the organisation and training of elite players at those ages. Tobin's selectors from the four provinces are Liam Sayers (Kerry), John Horan (Dublin), John McIlroy (Fermanagh) and John McGowan (Roscommon). Meath's 1996 Footballer of the Year, Trevor Giles - currently recovering from a cruciate injury - will be the tour's physiotherapist.

Ireland will be well-prepared. Last year, the series was organised at very short notice as the final agreement to relaunch the International Rules concept was only finalised shortly before the junior test.

The tour will last two-and-a-half weeks, and the official party departs on Sunday fortnight.