To be sure, there's rugby in Heaven

Anyway, two Munster fans are watching the match in question. At the end, one says to the other: "Sean, would you say that was a result made in Heaven?"

"Do you think they have rugby in Heaven, Brendan?"

After a brief discussion they reach an agreement: Whoever dies first will return and let the other know if there is rugby in Heaven.

Two months later Brendan is killed in a road accident in Limerick and that night, to Sean's initial horror, appears by Sean's bedside.

"Tell me then, Brendan, is there rugby in Heaven?"

"Well, Sean, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that indeed there is rugby in Heaven. The bad news is, you're selected at scrum-half next weekend."

Channel 4's satirical news programme, The 11 O'Clock Show, was back on our screens on Tuesday night. The two studio presenters, Iain Lee and Daisy Donovan, were there to kick off the new series, but where was the real star of the show, Ali G?

It seems that the streetwise setter of trends for the black youth of Britain has disappeared. But never mind, we have the very person to replace him - Jamie Mayer.

Certainly, now that the Scotland centre has acquired dreadlocks, he will have the perfect response to any referee who penalises him during a match: "Is it because I

is black?"

But the question is, will Jamie's locks survive until Saturday? Reports suggest that our very own roots rock rebel has already had enough of people singing the theme tune to The Hair Bear Bunch in his presence, and as a result is likely to shave his scalp before kick-off.

Speaking of the Mayer family, Jamie's dad Mike is in action in Dublin tonight, as one of the guest speakers at the 25th Anniversary Dinner of the London Reunion Club. Let's hope he doesn't tell the story about how he won a last-minute penalty for Watsonians - and with it the match - with a remark of such awful offensiveness we could not print it here (but give us a ring and we might tell you anyway).