Ireland versus South Africa, we've only been waiting three and a half years. One error could breathe new life into a team, or sap every last remaining molecule of oxygen from the starry Paris sky.
Fine margins, a knife-edge, a tightrope. This is knockout rugby in all but name.
When do they play?
Sunday September 23, 8pm kick off (Irish time), Stade de France, Paris.
Where can I watch it?
RTÉ 2, ITV 1, ITV X.
What to expect?
The straightforward answer to that question is the usual. Freaks of athletes. Inhumane men. Former Leinster lock Mick Kearney recently spoke of the tough nature of the Saffas, off the pitch as much as on it. Captain Siya Kolisi has returned from an ACL tear after just four months.
Whether they are better than the World Cup winning side remains to be seen, but they are certainly easier on the eye. 2019 superstar Makazole Mapimpi and wonderkid Canan Moodie have missed out on the 23, but Kurt-Lee Arendse has 12 tries in his last 11 tests.
Their squad depth is unparallelled, with last season's Munster pairing of former Ireland international Jean Kleyn and RG Snyman benefitting from the 7-1 split. That tactic was last used in the record win over New Zealand. Lightning doesn't strike twice, you say?
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The Munster theme continues with Rassie Erasmus and Felix Jones on the backroom team, the latter the only Irishman with a World Cup medal to his name. Handre Pollard's injury has seen his ten slot go to the silkier Mannie Libbok of the Stormers. Tomorrow is make-or-break Libbok.
It's here the lack of depth at loosehead could hurt Ireland, but Malcolm Marx's injury has weakened the South African hand considerably at hooker. The Springboks' manic rush defence gives Ireland huge scope for linebreaks should they take the right options in their multi-faceted attacking shape.
If they don't, they will get caught behind the gainline, and get smothered much like Scotland and Finn Russell.
Lose, and the Scotland game is essentially a shootout for a quarter-final spot. Far from ideal, and all the while the Saffas know a defeat won't cost them their spot in the last eight.
This may well prove a trial run, as these sides could meet again in the final, but there's a hell of a lot of rugby to be played yet. And even a fool couldn't look beyond South Africa tomorrow night in a packed out Stade de France.
