Friday 30 October 2015 12:28, UK
The battle between Ma'a Nonu and Matt Giteau could well decide who wins the Rugby World Cup final, writes Sky Sports News HQ's Jamie Weir.
There are similarities of course, aside from the fact they both wear the same number on the back of their jersey.
Both are 33 years of age, both joined the '100 club' during this World Cup, both will be playing in their second final this Saturday - and, as of next week, they will be team-mates at the club which has dominated European rugby for the past three seasons, Toulon.
Yet, aesthetically, the differences are stark. Nonu, the dreadlocked destroyer, is a human wrecking ball in New Zealand's midfield, but with a subtlety and nuance to his game perhaps not appreciated by the casual armchair observer (although certainly not lost on those within the sport).
Giteau, the thinking man's footballer, has a brain and two feet that can unlock any opposition, but with a defensive doggedness which belies his relatively diminutive stature.
Nonu will pull on the black jersey for the 103rd and final time on Saturday and his departure from the international stage will, as he has done to opposing defences so often over the years, leave a large hole in the All Blacks midfield.
"He's got a skill-base to die for, he's not just a big ball carrier," says New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen.
"He can offload, he can kick, and he's matured into a very good leader. While he doesn't say a lot, when he does speak, it's reasonably worthwhile listening to it."
A rock in midfield
Nonu's captain, Richie McCaw - who refuses to be drawn on whether Saturday will also be his final game for his country - is equally fulsome in his praise: "I've loved playing alongside Ma'a over the years and he's been a rock in the midfield. You look at the guys who won't be here next year; the attitudes and disciplines that those guys have brought have shaped the attitude of the team."
Nonu speaks movingly about his 12 years representing world rugby's most feted team. "It was always a dream. Rugby is a big part of how we grow up, it is part of our history, it's who we are as men. That is what we strive to become. When you become an All Black, it's more than just playing rugby; it's representing your country, your family."
Giteau bounds around the Australian team base with a grin from ear to ear, still pinching himself that he's even here, about to play in his second World Cup final 12 years after playing a bit-part in the 2003 final, when Jonny Wilkinson drop-kicked England to victory.
It wasn't until April of this year that the rule precluding the selection of players based overseas was hastily revoked. Though Giteau would never claim that the new regulation was introduced to allow his own inclusion in this World Cup squad, it certainly appears to have been a huge factor.
"He's tough but he's skillful, he's hungry, he can be angry but then funny five minutes later," says Australia coach Michael Cheika.
"He's got good balance in his life and he's projecting that out to his team-mates and other guys get a kick out of that. I know this is going to sound crazy but, for all his experience, I still see him as a player with stacks of improvement in him."
Adam Ashley-Cooper, the hat-trick hero from the Wallabies' semi-final win against Argentina, cannot speak highly enough of Giteau, whose international hiatus lasted precisely four years and a day.
"He's an absolute legend of the game. He's a world-class player and he's a world-class bloke too. Not only do you see him killing it on the football field, but he's a bloke that has a strong moral fibre, he's a great father, he's a great husband and he's a great mate - and that's exactly what you want to see in a Wallaby."
Of all the intriguing head-to-heads this Rugby World Cup final throws up: the man heralded by Hansen as the greatest All Black ever, McCaw, up against Michael Hooper; the dynamic and destructive Kieran Read versus Australia's havoc-wreaker-in-chief David Pocock; or the timeless Dan Carter pitting his wits against the ever-improving Bernard Foley at fly-half, the battle between the two inside centres will be one of the most fascinating.
Mutual respect
"I respect Gits as a player," says Nonu, "I think he's playing his best footie in the Wallabies jersey. He can kick off both feet, he's played fly-half as well, he can cover all the positions, so he's a dangerous player in terms of setting up plays. He's probably the best defender in the whole World Cup."
For a combined total of 203 Test matches, Ma'a Nonu and Matt Giteau have been crucial cogs in their respective teams' well-oiled machines. They have become talismanic; figures the others can turn to when their backs are against the wall.
Regardless of the result on Saturday, both have secured their place among the greats to have played the game. And regardless of the result, both will head to France's south coast next week with the next career goal looming on the horizon.
Toulon will bid to make it four European Cups in a row this season. The defence of the title they've recently made their own begins against Bath two weeks and a day after the World Cup final. There's every chance two of the greatest centres to have ever played the game will be lining up alongside each other in the crisp autumnal French sunshine.
