The deafness litigation lawyers will be busier than usual after this afternoon's rugby international at Lansdowne Road. Those imaginative and cunning marketing people at Guinness have devised a novel publicity stunt to make the formidable roar of the Lansdowne crowd even louder. Guinness will reportedly be handing out around 15,000 megaphones to rugby fans, asking them to play their part in an official attempt to record "the loudest roar in the world" from the 50,000 crowd expected to attend the Ireland versus Scotland encounter. Environmental engineers will be on hand to record the decibel level, closely monitored by an official from the Guinness Book of Records. Still time for residents in the area, not yet fully recovered from the U2 sound barrage, to support their local chemist with purchases of cotton wool and ear plugs. And, of course, after the match all those throats, grittier than usual from their contribution in lifting the stadium roof, will naturally head for the nearest watering hole seeking lubricating balm from a pint or two of the dark liquid. Nice one, Guinness.