If David Pocock's face is anything to go by, we are in for a bruising Rugby World Cup final this weekend.
The Wallabies and the All Blacks are definitely the two in-form teams in this tournament and in this season, so it is going to be an intense battle.
It is no surprise that the referee and the penalty count may be the deciding factor.
The new camera and microphone attached to the collar of referees in this tournament have highlighted how intimate the relationship can be between captains and officials, so Richie McCaw needs to keep Nigel Owens on-side while remaining on-side himself.
At least the referee won't be swayed by the home crowd, as both finalists are from the southern hemisphere.
Everywhere I go people ask me to predict who will win. How would I know? I can't see into the future.
I haven't been intimately involved in the build-up and behind-the-scenes to know what is going on in either the All Black or Wallaby camps.
Despite this, we all like to speculate and show our prowess when it comes to rugby knowledge, which is part of the fun of following a national team at a major event.
Someone always knows someone who knows someone in the All Blacks and we like to read between the lines, listen to what isn't said, watch the body language and facial expressions of the players and coaches during their interviews and make our own assessments of what this means in terms of performance, mental state, and who does or does not have the winning edge.
It is times like this that the couch critic or wannabe commentator comes into their own.
As a self-confessed couch critic in my more mature years, I do know that both teams deserve to be in the final.
It would have been a great underdog story if Argentina went all the way, but then the final would have been a complete blackout.
Would we want to win that way? Is it arrogant to assume that the All Blacks would have annihilated Argentina? Probably.
But as one of the sports journalists mentioned recently, the All Blacks do tend to have a monopoly on the global brand of rugby and I just can't imagine them letting Argentina win.
The collective egos and the legacy of winning that is so ingrained in their psyche just wouldn't have let it happen.
So is Australia a better foe to meet in the finals?Yes.
We love the rivalry, we thrive on it and although Australia has come out on top in netball, cricket, the America's Cup and nearly every other sport we play against them, rugby union is different.
The Wallabies' speed off the defensive line, combined with their ability to win ball at the ruck, and heir refusal to see themselves itself as anything less than amazing as individuals, a team, and a nation will be their strengths.
The All Blacks have ball players in the forwards and the backs and we know how to make something from nothing.
We have Mr Dependable, Ben Smith (from accounting) to secure the kick and chase, we have Whitelock to win crucial ball in the lineout, we have the smiling assassin, Kieran Read's vision, and great players coming off the bench who always add something to the mix that keeps the opposition guessing.
We (as in those people changing their Facebook profiles to all black) are a more well-rounded team than the Aussies, from No1 through to No32 (which includes the injured Woodcock).
Yes, we have weaknesses and Milner-Skudder's ability to retrieve high kicks has been exposed as one of them, along with the scrum and the breakdown area where we haven't been that dominant.
We may also be too nice. It is an admirable trait, but it also makes us vulnerable to teams who are less concerned about coming across that way.
We can expect experienced players such as McCaw and Dan Carter to lead from the front and the back.
They may not be as fast as they used to be but they're wiser, and McCaw's presence especially provides a mental edge that lifts the brotherhood and makes up for his flaws (yes, the man has flaws).
This will be the last chance for many of the players to shine on the world stage before they leave the black jersey forever.
The cup newcomers will also be chomping at the bit to leave a legacy.
Thank goodness it's a short working week.
The suspense is killing me. Come on Sunday!
