Let me take you back to last August. It was before the European Rugby Cup (aka The Heineken Cup) 2008 had even begun. I noticed that tickets for the final were on sale and decided to buy a pair. They were expensive enough however I knew I would be able to sell them for a profit on ebay if Munster didn’t make the final. To be honest, I wasn’t that hopeful. They hadn’t done great the season before and they were in the toughest group by far with the likes of London Wasps, Clermont Auvergne and Llanelli Scarlets. But anyway, they came top of the grop and qualified for a very difficult away quarter final to Gloucester. But I now feel bad for ever doubting the boys in red because they went to Gloucester and put it to them, securing an emphatic semi-final meeting with Saracens.

However, although Saracens technically shouldn’t pose much of a threat to Munster, the match was again an away fixture and Munster were certainly put to the test. The Saracens put up a much bigger fight than Gloucester had and Munster found themselves furiously defending their line only two points ahead with 10 minutes to go. But it was then that Munster’s experience really showed. This was Munster’s 7th Semi-final in 9 years and Saracens’ first. Munster were able to hold out the full 80 minutes, putting them into their 4th Heineken Cup final.

Munster now meet Toulouse in the Millenium Stadium on Saturday 24th March to decide who will be the rugby champions of Europe for the 2007/08 season. My tickets arrived in the post last Monday and I’ve booked a flight to London Gatwick for the Friday evening before the match. I’ll spend the night with Aily and then the two of us are booked on a coach up to Cardiff on the Saturday morning. We’re also staying with Aily’s friend Jodie which saves us having to book into a 5-star hotel - the only accommodation left in Cardiff for that weekend!

The match should be epic with the two biggest teams in European rugby battling it out for the most coveted of rugby prizes. My tickets aren’t the best in the stadium but there will be big screens in the ground and I’m sure the atmosphere will more than make up for the lack of being close to the pitch. In any event, the Millenium Stadium’s roof can be opened or closed depending on the weather guaranteeing me a dry match. The tickets are in my pocket, my jersey has been ironed and I’ve been listening to ‘The fields of Athenry’ on my mp3 player non-stop. Bring it on!!!