In the not so long ago, a match between two Irish provinces in the interprovincial series would draw maybe 4,000 spectators on occasions, very often the attendances would be well below that at some venues.

The great lift in playing standards at provincial level and the Heineken Cup did much to change the focus on the provinces as they took on the best Europe had to offer. The home and away series in the Interprovincial Championship also widened the appeal and, this season, the success of the Irish provinces in the Celtic League has added a further dimension.

It is reasonable to suggest that, when Leinster meet Munster in the inaugural final of the Celtic League at Lansdowne Road this afternoon, it will draw the biggest crowd ever to watch a match between two Irish provinces.

We are now in the professional era and players earn their living by playing the game. There will be a win-bonus at stake tomorrow.

The success of the Irish provinces in the competition will also mean a financial dividend for the IRFU that will help offset the costs of running the national and provincial teams. It is, as we have seen from results, money very well spent.

The income from the knock-out stages that accrue to the IRFU will be £200,000. For each team that reaches the quarter-finals, the income is £16,000 per team; For each that reaches the semi-final it is £20,000 and for each team in the final it is £40,000. Thus, from the knock-out stages, that amounts to £200,000.

There would also be income from the League pool and some from television. But, as the competition is not sponsored, there will obviously be nothing from that source. But, on and off the field, the Celtic League has been extremely productive. The host union do not get the gate receipts from the knock-out stages.

However important a factor money is in the game in this era, I believe, however, the match tomorrow at Lansdowne Road will, from both teams' perspectives, be more about glory than a win-bonus. It is a tremendously attractive pairing between two very accomplished teams.

There is no doubt that the present generation who wear the famous red Munster jersey have embellished the province's great tradition against outside opposition by their exploits in the Heineken Cup and now this season in the Celtic League.

The current Leinster team has lifted the game in the province to new heights. They go into the match with a 100 per cent record on the back of 13 consecutive victories in the league and the Heineken Cup. They have played some great rugby in creating that record sequence.

No Leinster side had previously won 13 on the trot. Back in the 1980s, when Ulster dominated the interprovincial series, they won 18 matches in a row and that great record, of course, included wins over outside opposition. That sequence was eventually brought to an end by Queensland.

Leinster-Munster rivalry has its roots firmly in history with the first match between the provinces having been played on March 26th, 1877 at College Park. Leinster won that by a goal to nil. Munster's first win over Leinster was recorded in Cork on December 4th, 1880. Munster won that by a try to nil. That victory was not alone very important on the field but also had a crucial bearing on matters off it.

At that time, the IRFU was so framed that Munster had to prove their worth on the field by beating one of the then big two powers in the game, Leinster and Ulster, before the province was entitled to get equal representation on the executive committee. Thus Munster's representation was elevated to six.

We have had some great matches between the provinces since those long-gone days of innocence. Most recently, the Munster team has had the better of matters, and Leinster's last win over Munster was attained at Dooradoyle in August 1998 by 24-18.

That match was played at Dooradoyle because the Thomond Park playing surface was undergoing renovation. In fact, the match drew a very poor attendance.

How times have changed.

That 1998-99 season was the first of the double interprovincials when each side met the other twice. Munster won the return match that season 25-10 at Donnybrook and with it the title.

That was retained the following year when Munster beat Leinster 31-20 and 30-13, while last season Munster on home soil beat Leinster 26-20 and so recorded a fourth consecutive win over Leinster. In the return match at Donnybrook in November it was a 16-16 draw and that meant a third successive interprovincial title for Munster.

One has to go back to 1991 for the last meeting between the provinces at Lansdowne Road. Munster won that match 27-12.

Subsequently, Donnybrook became the venue for Leinster's home matches in the interprovincial series and more recently, of course, for Heineken Cup and Celtic League matches.

Through the years, many players have had, as it were, dual affinity, having played for both provinces. Indeed, two of the current Leinster panel, scrumhalf Brian O'Meara and prop Paul Wallace, both played for Munster before declaring for Leinster.

Paul's younger brother David is a member of the current Munster squad but ruled out of the game tomorrow because of injury. Nor are the connections confined to the playing fields.

The current Leinster manager Ken Ging was a member of a very famous Munster team, the side that beat the Wallabies in 1967 and so became the first Irish province to beat a major touring team. Ken's opposite number, Munster manager and former international second row Jerry Holland, played for Munster and Leinster.

He declared for Leinster after he had joined Wanderers and was playing his rugby in Dublin. No doubt where the affinity of Messrs Ging and Holland will lie today. It could be a great afternoon for the game in this country.