FACE-OFFS: Chiefs v. Brumbies Super Rugby final

It’s a massive clash but who are the key FACE-OFFS in this weekend’s Chiefs v. Brumbies Super Rugby Final?

Jet shoe showdown: MASAGA v. SPEIGHT

Two guys who regularly make you shout HOLY CRAP. In fact, they both did last weekend: Masaga by turning into a human wrecking ball to bowling pin the Crusaders pack camped on their line, and Speight by making three Bulls cover defenders look like total idiots before flicking a reverse no look offload that Sonny Bill Williams can only dream about.

I’ve got fond memories of Lelia from about 2009 when he made me a kabillion fantasy points for very little money. For whatever reasons he’s never fully realised his potential, only earning one All Black cap back in that same year.

As for Speight – you may not realise he’s the nephew of George Speight, who waltzed into the Fijian parliament tooled up with a few mates and took over the country. Henry also has plenty of firepower and we all look forward to the day (26th November, but who’s counting) when he can pull on the Green and Gold.

The Opta stats below show say they’re both damn good, with George’s nephew ahead in the meat pies. Who’ll add more this weekend?

Brawn v. Brain: Messam v. Smith

Liam Messam doesn’t mess around, running more metres and making more tackles than even King George (who, by the way, is about to have Canberra re-named after him). But it’s the snakey stats that the world’s best ever openside excels at – winning more than 3 times as many turnovers, conceding less than half and offloading more than double. Only one man in all of Super rugby averaged more turn overs per minute than George, and he was a back who therefore doesn’t count.

In short Messam’s a powerhouse grafter, and one of the best. But he just misses that magic force that knits it all together and takes him to that next level in the pointiest part of the sharp end of crunch matches.

As for Smith, he has that force in spades. It shoots out of his fingers like the lightening that shot out of the robed testicle of an Emperor in Star Wars, except clearly George is the good guy. You may say that sounds far fetched, but there’s no other explanation for the try saving tackle he made against the Bulls last weekend.

Impressed you will be.

[Yes, I know Messam is playing 6, but Smith plays whatever position he wants anyway]

Pretenders to the thrones: Cruden v. Toomua

There’s a lot that’s similar about these two. Not only would both be considered next in line to their respective test team 10 jerseys, they both have he ability to temper prodigious talent with sound playmaking. Is it an accident that their kick/pass/run averages are identical this season?

via @ruckingoodstats – Cruden and Toomua have the same option taking percentages this season. Run: 27, kick: 15, pass: 58. #CHIvBRU — Scotty Stevenson (@sumostevenson) July 31, 2013

Anyone who’s come within earshot of me for the last few months will know I think Toomua is the Wallabies best 10 candidate. Talking to Bob Dwyer this week, he observed that whether Matt passes or runs, his first movement is always towards the defence, thereby asking more questions of it – unlike New Zealand’s favourite booing object.

Despite all that admiration though, you have to admit that Aaron Cruden is a more developed talent at the highest level, with 56 Super and 22 international caps to Toomua’s 42 at provincial.

This will be a fantastic test for both young guns and more than likely the decider of the day.