International Rules: In the words of one leading GAA official: "This was far worse than last year." He was referring to the comparative impact of last year's violence in Melbourne and that of the scenes that disfigured the first quarter of yesterday's second Test in Croke Park.

Ireland manager Seán Boylan and captain Kieran McGeeney were at pains to emphasise they would like to go to Australia next year to play football. But the shadow that has been cast on the international concept by yesterday's events has been lengthened by the fact they took place in a context where everyone was supposed to understand violence - of the up-front variety unacceptable both to the GAA and AFL - would kill the series.

Notwithstanding this, players brawled uninhibitedly, as Australia physically intimidated their opponents at the start of the match and Ireland responded.

The impotence of regulation was visible. In response to last year, the authorities had tightened up on penalties and the word had gone down that the GAA couldn't stand over the game if discipline wasn't upheld. But the spectacle of match officials trying to prise apart warring players told its own dismal story. GAA president Nickey Brennan refused to spring to a conclusion at yesterday's media conference, saying there had to be a proper review of the series and where it was going.

What happened - and empirically as opposed to morally it doesn't matter where it originated - yesterday was a stark reminder the game looks incapable of being played by the rules.

The other big problem for the future of the game is that Ireland are now looking uncompetitive. Last week's Test, with its thrilling comeback, by yesterday evening had been put in an unflattering context. The Australians had improved hugely whereas Ireland had been caught for pace and the skills that are supposed to be their strongest suit. Since the resumption of the series in 1998, Australia have learned how to use the round ball but Ireland have made little progress in mastering the tackle and the mark.

Worse, Ireland's ability and accuracy have waned to the extent goal-scoring is now well behind Australia's ability in this area. For the first time Ireland's series tally of six-pointers fell to one whereas the winners equalled their record of four over two Tests. Those records may survive for a long time.