If you could reduce tension to its essential form, you would find it looks and feels a lot like the last 10 minutes of the Dunedin club final.
Green Island tackled themselves to a historic title win.
They edged Dunedin 21-15 to snap their 46-year drought.
About 5000 supporters at Forsyth Barr Stadium screamed themselves hoarse as Dunedin battered away, searching for a potential match-winning try for 10 long minutes at the end.
The Grizzlies faithful watched without breathing.
The Sharks supporters probably held their breaths as well, although perhaps they sighed when their team shelled two golden opportunities in the final quarter.
Fullback Joshua Augustine dropped the ball with the line wide open and replacement back Benjamin Paku let it slip through his grasp half a metre out.
Centre Levi Harmon emerged as one of the heroes.
He beat three defenders to score midway through the first spell and beat another three early in the second half to complete a stunning team try.
But Dunedin kept in touch with an intercept try to Kyan Rangitutia, and fellow outside back Tayne Harvey somehow flicked on a pass to hooker Liam Arthur-Hunt, who dived over in the corner.
Green Island coach Hayden Finch was still trying to lower his heart rate when he was cornered for an interview.
"That was not how we wanted it to go", he said.
"We wanted to get the ball and keep attacking but Dunedin just held on to it. I’m just so proud."
"We’ve just got so many guys that have got big engines", Finch said.
"Man, there was some ticker at the end, I tell you.
"It is just so good. There are so many people in tears in the stand.
"It means a lot to the guys that have been around this club for so long."
The Sharks made all the early running. As always, their set pieces were solid and the backs sprung into action.
They shovelled the ball along the line to winger Rangitutia, who threatened to crash over in the corner and would have, had it not been for a desperate tackle by Vilimone Bainibure.
Cam Burgess knocked over a penalty after quarter of an hour to give his side the lead.
Green Island spent the first 20 minutes defending before Harmon pounced. He crashed through the gap between two defenders and ran in from 10m out.
Dunedin went straight back to work down the other end. They set up camp and looked for ways around the defence.
They got over the line through a rolling maul but were held up.
Bainibure got a difficult pass under control eventually. But the tackle on him cost Augustine 10 minutes in the bin.
Green Island looked to exploit their manpower advantage.
Bainibure made an angled run to the corner but was cut down by Burgess and lost it forward just before the break.
Harmon scored shortly after the resumption. He weaved infield, sold a dummy and cut back out to score. But the buildup to that try featured some delightful touches and the ball went through many hands.
Green Island first five Finn Hurley set up halfback James Arscott for a try with a magic run down the right wing.
Dunedin stayed in touch through a try to Arthur-Hunt then banged away at the line for what seemed like an eternity.
In the curtain-raisers at the stadium, Taieri edged Kaikorai 32-29 in a tense open grade final, and Kaikorai slotted a late penalty to beat Green Island 23-22 in the premier development final.
Dunedin premier final
The scores
Green Island 21
Levi Harmon 2, James Arscott tries; Finn Hurley 3 con.
Dunedin 15
Kyan Rangitutia, Liam Arthur-Hunt tries; Cam Burgess con, pen.
Halftime: Green Island 7-3.
