It's the simple versus the adventurous when the All Blacks take on the Wallabies in the Rugby World Cup final this weekend - and it might surprise which is considered which.
Wallabies winger Adam Ashley-Cooper scores a try during Australia's semi-final match against Argentina. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
It's day three of 'How to win a Rugby World Cup final' - RNZ's attempt to bring together the different voices of the world's rugby pundits and stars as they look to the skies to chart the possible outcome.
More in this series of columns
While many are still hung up on the mysteries of the breakdown (who isn't?), Dean Ryan, a former England player-turned-coach-turned-columnist, believes it's a battle of "polar opposite" styles.
"On one hand the All Blacks, the reigning champions and the best side on the planet for a decade and more, will rely on doing the simple things well, or better than the Wallabies. Australia are altogether more adventurous."
Dan Carter slots a drop goal during New Zealand's semi-final against the other green-and-gold team, South Africa. Photo: AFP
"The All Blacks will kick, sometimes more than any other top side, but in essence they seek to impose themselves by being better individually than the opposition," Ryan continued.
Australia, he wrote, essentially try to be 'more cleverer'.
"[They're] a side more proactive in their search for the weak link. Like the All Blacks, the Wallabies make defenders take decisions, but instead of imposing themselves with simple skill sets (easier said than done), they go about the work of finding a mismatch in more dynamic fashion."
So simple is smart but smart is also smart? It hurts the head.
Australia's head coach Michael Cheika attends a news conference in Teddington, west London, on October the 26th. Photo: AFP
Much of the Wallabies' newfound smartness is being attributed to coach Michael Cheika, who is the only management type to win the major rugger competitions in both hemispheres - the Heineken Cup with Leinster in 2009 and Super Rugby with the Waratahs in 2014.
Former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom told The Guardian Cheika was an "excellent motivator of players".
"You can't really realise how important that is until you experience it," Elsom said.
Sounds a bit religious. The Daily Telegraph's Oliver Brown builds on the metaphor.
"It does Michael Cheika no disservice to acknowledge that he is an unlikely-looking Messiah."
There's a backhanded compliment. Brown's next is more generous: "[He] has engineered a transformation of this Wallabies team that is nothing short of wondrous."
All Blacks halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow, left, and first-five Dan Carter during training ahead of Sunday's final. Photo: AFP
If Cheika is nearly walking on water then All Black Dan Carter definitely is, according to former Wallabies first-five Stephen Larkham.
"Dan Carter will be No.1 in the pantheon. Clearly No.1."
Which brings us pretty close to the prediction we made on Wednesday: "Tune in tomorrow when someone will no doubt say: 'This is Dan Carter's chance to cement his legacy.'
So close. Tune in tomorrow, when someone will no doubt say: "There will only be a few points in it."
