Heineken Cup - Blue and red but green all over

COLE Porter wrote about precisely this kind of thing 70 years ago: red, hot and blue.

Tomorrow’s Heineken Cup semi-final between Munster and Leinster promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime clash, with the country separating neatly into two factions. You’re either a member of the red army of Munster or the blue hordes supporting Leinster. One or the other. Neutrality is not an option.

The fact that most of the Irish rugby team that won this year’s Triple Crown will be on show only adds to the anticipation. Frankly, the nation hasn’t been this divided since Roy Keane came home from Saipan, but this civil war comes with a neat resolution, at least - hostilities cease at about 5pm tomorrow.

Those with an eye to the near future may take solace in an Irish team of any colour making the final, but that’s the destination: enjoy the journey first.

After all, the anticipation simmering for the past couple of weeks suggests that Monsieur Joel Jutge, tomorrow’s referee, might be as well to bring a Richter scale as well as a whistle along to Lansdowne Road.

On Monday normal service resumes, and as the players and coaches have been saying all week, life goes on as before. True enough, a little perspective does nobody any harm. It’s only sport after all.

But despite all that, for a couple of hours tomorrow be just as tribal as you want when they begin...