Rules not made to be broken - Brennan

All Stars Tour:GAA president Nickey Brennan has outlined the final list of revised match regulations, which this week are being distributed to all county boards ahead of the Allianz National Leagues.

Speaking in Dubai, Brennan emphasised the new regulation about illegal pitch encroachments would be rigorously enforced in the months ahead.

Under the new rules, the only persons allowed on the field - during breaks in play - are the new team runner, the hurley carrier, the water carrier and the team doctor.

"If people go in on the field of play the referee has to report what he sees," said Brennan. "That's his job. The penalty for such a breach is being put off the field during the game and a four-week suspension, plus a fine for the county. It's pretty severe, but that's what's in the rulebook."

Brennan also clarified new regulations for certain match practices: "For games that are in Croke Park the committee in charge (CCC) shall determine which dressingroom, seating area on the sideline, area of the pitch (are) to be used for warm-ups by the participating teams. For games at other venues the county secretary of the county hosting the game will determine.

"The Dublin-Mayo situation last summer probably highlighted it. So this is to avoid a repeat of that. There wasn't a regulation there before, and now we're saying look, we don't want a repeat.

"There's another angle to this as well - it's important that there is close liaison with the committee making these decisions and the ticket office because we have to make sure the subs of the participating teams are not going to be up in the Hogan Stand surrounded by supporters of the opposition team.

"We have to be practical about all of these sort of things."

Brennan also defended the inclusion of college teams in various competitions, specifically referring to the ongoing controversy about the presence of UCD in the Dublin championship: "The profile of Gaelic games in colleges has grown out of all recognition in the last couple of years. You have colleges in open competition with one another to get in the best players, they are putting up bursaries and scholarship schemes to attract them.

"Should they be taking part in county championships? It really only appears to be Dublin where there's a problem. UCC have been playing in the Cork championship for years and there never seems to have been a problem; they just get on with it. Really it's a matter for Dublin to sort out themselves.

"All I'll say on it is UCD set a high standard. It lays down a challenge to the other clubs. Whatever decision they make, they make, and I'm not going to get involved in the rights and wrongs of it.

"There's great work being done in colleges and it's important to recognise that."

New match regulations: Main points

• Rules sent to each county - plus special pack to every manager, plus copies of the rulebook and referees' book

• Team list must include all sideline personnel - including manager

• All must leave the field, bar the first 15, before Amhrán na bhFiann

• Helmets optional in parade - increase face recognition of hurlers

• Break in play defined (ball out for a wide or a score or play stopped by referee for injury). Sideline balls don't entail stoppage

• No challenge games in November and December - no change there