News

Now boys, don't get shirty!

May 20 2008

A feud is simmering between Toulouse and Munster.

As well as the obvious pretensions to the 'who's been the best-ever team in Europe' bragging rights on Saturday, it seems the two teams are looking for leverage in the psychology before the game.

There was a lot of fuss made earlier this year about how Wales - and other sporting teams such as Manchester United - are aided by being the bearers of the colour red onto the pitch.

And that's where the trouble starts. See, both teams play in red, and both are very eager to be the red-clad team at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Toulouse won the coin toss, and were thus registered as home team and with choice of colours. They chose red. But 'foul!' cried Munster. Did Toulouse not designate pink shirts as their home kit, and black as the away colour, to ERC at the start of the tournament? That was what was in the tournament guide...

Well, yes, they did. But the pink was for the centenary celebrations of the club in La Ville Rose, and was only until the end of 2007. Thereafter, home games would be played in red again.

All of which has left Munster a little miffed because they can't wear their traditional red now.

ERC confirmed on Tuesday that Toulouse did register three kits with them at the start of the season, and that the guide is not a definitive document to stipulate team playing colours. So it seems round one has been won by the Toulousains, and that Munster will have to make do with their own terrifying brand of navy blue on Saturday.