Pocock and McMahon set to face off in Japan final

Australian back-row stars David Pocock and Sean McMahon are set to face-off in the Japanese Top League final, for Panasonic Wild Knights and Suntory Sungoliath respectively.

Pocock will lead his Wild Knights side as captain under ex-Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, playing his last match before returning to Australian rugby with the Brumbies following his sabbatical.

McMahon, who came of age in the Wallabies No.8 jersey in Pocock's absence, is completing a successful first season of a two-year deal with Sungoliath.

That matchup promises to produce a brutal breakdown battle in the final at Tokyo's Prince Chichibu Stadium on Saturday, with Australian number 8 Ben Gunter and ex-Reds flanker Hendrick Tui also featuring.

Defending champions Sungoliath have lost just one match in two seasons and belted Jubilo 49-7 in their semi-final last weekend while the Wild Knights, who won three titles in a row between 2013-15, battled to a 17-11 win over Toyota Verblitz.

The match will also feature a standoff between two ex-Wallaby flyhalves, with Matt Giteau named to start at 10 for Sungoliath and Berrick Barnes for Panasonic.