Leader: Belly-warming beer gives national pride a roasting

IT'S meant to be cheeky, but borders dangerously on the provocative: a beer produced by a New Zealand brewery for this year's Rugby World Cup with the decidedly mocking brand name of Men'nskurrts.

Managers of the South Island Invercargill Brewery hope that it will become the tipple of choice for visiting Scots and that they will sip at the humour rather than gulp at any offence: none whatever intended is the brewer's assurance. The brand name may well be seen as taking a risk with national sensibilities - until, that is, a closer look is taken at the small print. The name may play to the Scottish rugby supporters', er, feminine side. But that certainly cannot be said of the contents.

Men'nskurrts is not a beer for the faint of heart bravehearts following Andy Robinson's men. It packs a mighty 7 per cent punch - almost double the strength of Tennent's lager.

The label claims it is "a nod of tribute to the city's Scottish forefathers" and describes it as combining "full-malt richness with a wee dram of peat smoke giving a belly- warming tipple". That's one way of putting it. After swallowing the name, rugby fans may well take to the contents. We will not, well, skurrt round the issue, a few bottles of this and the cry "scrum down" may lead to some antipodean trepidation.