Mic Check versus the Silver Fox. The sub-plots in finals week are almost as interesting as the Big Show. The volatile Michael Cheika versus the understated Todd Blackadder.
The fact that the two sides never met in the round robin adds to the intrigue. But then given the proposed changes for 2016 and beyond, that potentially won't be such an unusual scenario.
Home comforts will be a big deal to Cheika. Post-match at the Tahs last visit to Christchurch was a memorable occasion. He hated it. He hated everything. First and foremost he hated losing. There was only one point in it. He hated referee Glen Jackson. In fact if the TV cameras had been present at the post-match interviews, it's a dead-set certainty his comments would have landed him some fairly heavy sanctions from Sanzar.
He hated the crowd although, let's be honest, he wouldn't be the first to not like Christchurch fans. His allegations of having a plastic bottle thrown at him as he walked down from the coaches' box through the stand were bizarre. A stand full of people, but not one witness.
For all that, he's a great character who wears his heart on his sleeve. So long was his rant after the 2013 encounter, I'm sure if he didn't have a plane to Sydney to catch, he probably would've had a crack at MMP and our anti-nuclear policies as well.
