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PARK Brexit blues for as long as you possibly can. Do not let the huge volumes of autumn rain, presaging another gloomy winter, get to you. Focus instead on the huge sporting week which lies ahead with Ireland’s soccer and rugby teams facing moments of truth.

Next Saturday Joe Schmidt’s rugby stars will face their date with fate as they take on the All Blacks from New Zealand. But before that Mick McCar- thy’s charges take the field tomorrow in Geneva for a decisive European qualifier against Switzerland.

Both teams have had frustrating and difficult times recently – but in both cases it is still all to play for, and each team will carry the support and hopes of a sports-mad nation.

The so-called “beautiful game” of soccer suffered a reputational reverse last Saturday when the Ireland versus Georgia game was televised live just after the international rugby game in which Ireland clinically demolished Samoa.

Even ardent soccer fans conceded the dour scoreless draw compared badly with the swashbuckling win racked up by the rugby side.

But soccer games can from time to time pan out like that, with dour technical play grinding out “a result” which is far from pretty. An away draw is more usually deemed “a result” despite the understandable frustrations being displayed by team manager, Mick McCarthy, in his post-match comments.

But the reality is big things are still possible for the boys in green. A win tomorrow in Geneva would very probably book their place in the finals next year – with the added bonus of two of their games expected to be played in Dublin.

A draw, or even a loss, still leaves the qualification door ajar. All eyes will be on another crunch game in Dublin next month against group leaders Denmark. So interesting times and qualification for Euro 2020 – boosting national morale and giving a fillip to soccer fans – now clearly beckon as a real prospect.

The rugby situation is far more cut and dried. All eyes will be on television screens on Saturday morning when Rory Best leads out the Irish XV for a quarter-final clash against New Zealand.

It is a daunting prospect – but Ireland have the potential to lift their game and they have twice shown in the recent past that they can beat the all-conquering All Blacks.

Japan’s win over Scotland yesterday, in a very open and competitive tie, puts Ireland’s sobering defeat by the host nation in a different light. The rugby side has not done much to delight the fans since this competition began, but they have done what they had to do to progress.

There is also the bonus that the attrition rate of injury losses has been low. Joe Schmidt has a strong coterie of first-choice players to choose from for this vital clash.

Much will be expected from our world-class midfield pairing of Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray. If they can fire on the day, they could lay the cornerstone of a narrow win.

Bring it on!

Our soccer and rugby teams are facing moments of truth this week