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One is a halfback keen to return to the scrum-base, the other an All Blacks’ after-thought who spent last month skateboarding and drinking beer.
Rival five-eighths Aaron Cruden and Morgan Parra, both just 22, enter Sunday’s Rugby World Cup final as the most unexpected playmakers but one will put his name up with the game’s greatest No.10s by capping a bizarre journey with triumph.
Previous World Cup-winning flyhalves Grant Fox (1987), Michael Lynagh (1991), Stephen Larkham (1999) and Jonny Wilkinson (2003) rank among the best rugby has seen.
It’s always been believed a Test team needed an experienced world-class playmaker to win a World Cup, but All Blacks back-up Cruden and French half Morgan Parra are the exceptions.
Even lesser-regarded World Cup-winning No.10s, Springboks Joel Stransky (1995) and Butch James (2007), were on the top of their games to pilot South Africa to their two crowns.
The tournament in New Zealand was supposed to be Daniel Carter’s crowning achievement or throw up a genuine challenger like Wallabies X-factor Quade Cooper as the perfect 10, but there’s been no real stand-out.
While Cooper backfired as he couldn’t unleash his instinctive attacking game, Carter would probably have got his life-long wish if he hadn’t torn his groin during goalkicking practice before the last pool match against Canada.
That propelled Cruden, originally overlooked for the All Blacks 30-man squad, onto the Kiwi bench for the quarter final and, when starter Colin Slade freakishly repeated the injury, the Palmerston North skaterboy became the “main man” against Australia.
In the meantime, halfback Parra went from France’s top No.9 to their stand-in No.10 following injury to playmaker David Skrela and the disappointing displays of back-up Francois Trinh-Duc.
He and rival No.9 Dimitri Yachvili endured a harsh halves initiation when thumped 37-17 in the pool stages before an upset loss to Tonga but have bounced back and were instrumental in sudden-death wins over England and Wales.
Even with the prospect of becoming a `World Cup-winning playmaker’, Parra said he wants to go back to his bread and butter role at the scrum-base when he returns to club Clermont.
“To be good at No.9 is one thing, to be good at 10 this weekend is my objective,” the said.
“I never thought I would be playing in the final at No.10, but as long as I’m playing and I’m enjoying it, I don’t care where I play.
“To play in the final, it’s a childhood dream of mine.”
Carter’s been a fan and sees no weaknesses in Parra’s game.
“He’s slotted into the position extremely well,” he said.
“He’s got a pretty cool head on him.
“He’s stepped up in the play-off games and he’s a very reliable, consistent player that has really added something to the French side.”
As far as slotting into a role goes, Cruden took the cake with his fine display in New Zealand’s hot seat in the 20-6 semi-final win over the Wallabies.
“I suppose I’ve had a few experiences in my life that I’ve been able to draw strength from,” said the eight-Test rookie, who survived testicular cancer at 19.
“This is just going to be another fantastic experience on Sunday night.
“I think every kid pretends to play in a World Cup final, and if they say they didn’t, then they’re lying.”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.