Compelling clash of cultures and style

On Rugby: There's never been a match quite like it, and all previous meetings between Leinster and Munster, or any of the Irish provinces for that matter, were but an appetiser for this.

The now defunct interprovincials were one thing, the Celtic League and even the inaugural Celtic League final another, but this is something else again. This will have bragging rights for years to come.

This is as fine a celebration of Irish rugby as the professional game has ever thrown up, and the audience will extend way beyond the tribal boundaries of Leinster and Munster.

The nature of Leinster's rugby this season, and especially the irreverent, daring and thrilling wins away to Bath and Toulouse, have generated a new fan club beyond as well as within, and not just Sky commentators.

Munster, too, have decorated the Heineken European Cup with more memorable occasions and games than any other participant, and hence have become a cause celebre for more than just the Red Army. They have been the Irish standard-bearers more often than not, and it is a tribute to both of them and Irish rugby that so many neutrals around the world will be compelled to watch this game.

Considering Munster are in the knock-out stages for the eighth year in a row, and that Leinster are there for the fourth time in that timespan, the wonder is it hasn't happened before. Now it's come about at a time when rugby in this country has never been so popular, and its popularity may be extending beyond Ireland.

It was interesting to note that while Leinster were concocting four tries in Toulouse, three of them belters, the three English quarter-finalists couldn't manage one between them. Even Brian Ashton, much lauded guru of English back play, presided over a Bath team that ultimately aped and just about outmuscled Leicester, and in stark contrast to Leinster, Sale's performance was chronically short of ambition.

Perhaps Munster have built up more of a following over the years, but Leinster made rapid strides in catching up with them on Saturday, for their performance was as sensational as anything Munster have done. Indeed, it revived strong echoes of Munster's 31-25 win over Toulouse in 2000 when Keith Wood, Mike Mullins, David Wallace were all in their dynamic pomp.

Similarly, that sun-drenched day in Toulouse also effectively launched the Red Army, and in the same way Leinster's win in Le Stadium will surely be a catalyst for a new era in the province's history.

It's interesting to see so many converts to their cause, and now they're being installed as favourites for the great showdown, having once touched 80 to 1 to win the European Cup with one English bookmaking firm.

But this has been coming. That's why 5,000-6,000 made their way to Toulouse.

Leinster were desperately unlucky to lose their opener at home to Bath, and you could see the first shoots of what they were attempting to do under Michael Cheika. It came vibrantly together against Bath and arguably that was the more complete performance, at least from the off.

Armed with the skills on the training ground and, it has to be said, with an extraordinary array of game-breaking talents, they play heads-up rugby, and always seem to have a look before taking the percentage. Unlike so many other sides who go to Toulouse (Edinburgh and Northampton had both lost pool games there before making return visits for the quarter-finals) Leinster dared to win, none more so than Felipe Contepomi.

In fact, Leinster can play better than they did against Toulouse and arguably were more switched on from the start and more consistently effective in everything they did over most of the 80 minutes away to Bath.

Perhaps the opposition had a good deal to do with this, as assuredly did the nine-week hiatus without a match together.

Cheika, along with David Knox, has been to Irish rugby what Scott Johnson has been to Welsh rugby, but without being anything like as divisive. One would venture they could scarcely believe their luck when they stumbled upon this collection of players. True they've won nothing yet, but Leinster appear to have struck Aussie gold again, with Cheika as good a fit for them as Leinster are for him.

In the same way, of course, we've long since known that Declan Kidney is a perfect fit for Munster, and while Leinster are in their second semi-final, Munster are competing in their sixth in seven years. Themselves a 28 to 1 shot at one point in the pool stages, they'll be loving the adoration being heaped upon their great friends and rivals, though notions of them being the away team are perhaps stretching it.

Leinster, in fact, will play their first match of the season at Lansdowne Road on Friday week. Taking into account the three autumn Tests and three home games in the Six Nations, of the respective starting line-ups the Munster players will have a good deal more experience of the venue this season than Leinster as well as an even spread of the tickets.

And what better kicker on planet earth to navigate the capricious nature of Lansdowne Road than Ronan O'Gara? They'll use their intervening Celtic League games against the Dragons and Edinburgh to polish up their act, and probably find a new combination to accommodate for the unfortunate loss of Barry Murphy. For all his pace and footballing ability, it's a tough ask on Tomás O'Leary, for outside centre is possibly the most difficult position to defend. Pull those inside him out, or those outside him? Step up or drift? Take the man or trust those inside? The most effective way of learning is through one's mistakes.

We also know the dogs of war up front will not be outgunned for sheer aggression as they were at the RDS on New Year's Day which, of course, also gives them the whiff of vengeance in their nostrils. Even then they nearly won a match they'd no real right to win, and we know Munster, no matter how tough games have come, even in defeats away to Gloucester and Sale, have never lost their togetherness, their will or their spirit. Indeed, if we ever saw Munster lose their spirit it would almost be upsetting.

Favourites? Who has the most bottle? Won't even enter the equation. This will be on the day, and the contrast in cultures and style only makes it more fascinating. It's going to be a long three weeks.