GEELONG premiership coach Chris Scott will coach Australia against Ireland later this year with his brother, North Melbourne's Brad Scott, and Fremantle's Ross Lyon alongside him as assistants.

The two-Test Virgin Australia International Rules Series will be played in Australia in October/November with the exact dates and venues expected to be announced before the finals.

Australia last played Ireland in November 2015, losing to the Irish at Croke Park.

Chris Scott and Lyon were both assistants to Alastair Clarkson for that series with the Hawthorn coach agreeing to lead Australia in 2014 and 2015 on the basis that one of his assistants succeeded him for the next series.

Interim football operations manager Andrew Dillon was rapt the 2011 premiership coach and his assistants had accepted the invitation to lead the team.

"The Australian team for the Virgin Australia IRS matches will again be comprised only of players who have been nominated as an All Australian at some point during their careers, and the AFL was seeking an All Australian coach, which is one of our premiership coaches, to head the panel to lead our elite players," Dillon said.

Scott has an outstanding record at Geelong having led the team to the flag in his first season.

He has made the finals in five of his six seasons and coached them in three preliminary finals.

The Cats sit second on the ladder after round 17 and his career win-loss record sits above 70 per cent.

"Having experienced this series as both a player and as a member of the coaching staff, I know first-hand how much this means to the people involved," Scott said.

"To be able to represent Australia and to grow the appeal of the game with the best players coming together, is a tremendous honour."