Pretoria: One has the nickname "pit bull", the other had a parody rap song written about him, and both were almost as ubiquitous as the man in the dock.

Oscar Pistorius' murder trial would not have been the same without two of South Africa's leading advocates: seasoned prosecutor Gerrie Nel and high profile defence counsel Barry Roux.

Both have long and distinguished careers, and are regarded by colleagues as formidable oponents, but the Blade Runner's trial turned them into reluctant celebrities.

The former personal assistant to Nelson Mandela, Zelda la Grange, tweeted recently: "In my next life I want to marry a Barry Roux or a Gerrie Nel."

As the trial began in earnest, Roux - tall, silver-haired and debonair - became the instant celebrity in part due to his style of questioning which began with the frequently-repeated phrase "I put it to you".

Fake Twitter accounts popped up - @notroux describing its owner as a "Protector of legless killers" - and local radio station 94.7 Highveld Stereo made the defence barrister the subject of a rap song, "I'm Barry Roux".

"I put it to you, that it's true / everything you say, I will misconstrue / I'm Barry Roux and I put it to you / 10 times in a row just to confuse you."

Outside court in the early weeks of the trial, more than 20 African youths pursued the senior counsel back to his chambers as they would a pop star, one declaring to a Channel 7 news crew: "I am going to be like Mr Roux when I grow up!"

As the limelight focused squarely on Pistorius' counsel, Mr Nel quietly led his witnesses and appeared almost casual in his approach. But that all changed when Pistorius was called to testify.

As one report described it, Mr Nel's cross-examination began "in an explosion of withering questions, laser-like attention to detail and [continued into] a savaging of Pistorius worthy of a hound deliberately starved of meat".

It became increasingly clear why he is nicknamed "the pit bull". Smaller in stature than his opponent, he was tenacious and displayed a rapier-like wit with his cross-examination.

In one gripping exchange, Pistorius looked almost defeated when he told the court defensively: "My life is on the line."

"Reeva doesn't have a life any more, because of what you've done, she's not alive any more," Mr Nel barked instantly. "So please, listen to the questions and give us the truth."

Mr Roux, a barrister since 1982, has been both a prosecutor and a popular choice for those in need of defence counsel. He practices largely in criminal law and medical negligence cases. His clients have included Dave King, a former football club director accused of tax evasion. He is rumoured to be earning in excess of 50,000 rand (about $5000) per day.

Meanwhile Mr Nel, a prosecutor for more than 30 years, has claimed major scalps including that of Jackie Selebi, a former anti-apartheid activist who became the country's top police officer and later president of Interpol but was jailed for 15 years for corruption. Mr Nel is said to earn 1.3 million rand (about $130,000) a year.

The pair last jousted over a murder case in 1999, when a South African dentist was accused of paying a handyman to murder his wife and make it look like a robbery.

Mr Nel was the victor on that occasion - the accused was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Lisa Davies will be in South Africa for the verdict. Follow live updates on smh.com.au / theage.com.au