And there were only moments in between.
It was an eventful debut for the Otago loose forward.
He bust through and scampered 20m to help set up a last-minute try for centre Freedom Vahaakolo.
Otago clinched a dramatic 26-19 win over a tenacious Southland side.
A few minutes earlier, Lio-Willie was penalised for an infringement in a maul and Southland’s Marty Banks kicked it to level the scores at 19-19.
This was a game Otago was expected to win but Southland refused to follow the script, in front of about 6000 spectators at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday.
The Stags defended with their usual guts and determination, nullified Otago’s driving maul and stayed in the fight.
The win has come with a heavy price tag, however.
Elusive winger Jona Nareki had to be assisted from the field with a knee injury. First five Josh Ioane took a head knock moments later, left the field and did not return. And tighthead Josh Hohneck hobbled off with a lower leg injury.
Otago coach Tom Donnelly was unsure about the trio’s status when he spoke to the Otago Daily Times after the match.
But he was thrilled with the courage his side showed to regain the Donald Stuart Memorial Shield.
"It was always going to be tough. But losing those players in the first 15 minutes disrupted us a wee bit and made it pretty hard," he said.
"To finish that game off like we did was a really gutsy effort by those guys."
Otago opened the scoring with a penalty to Ioane and looked threatening early.
But a triple dose of bad luck led to Nareki, Ioane and Hohneck all heading to the sideline.
Not to worry — Otago scored shortly after. Kayne Hammington chipped into space and Matt Faddes regathered and off-loaded quickly.
From the ruck, Otago spun it left and Vahaakolo put in a grubber for Sam Gilbert to run on to and score.
Brilliant, that. But so was Southland’s response.
The Stags worked a move at the front of the lineout 25m out and hooker Greg Pleasants-Tate barrelled his way to the corner.
Southland’s much-vaunted defence was called on again at the half-hour mark.
Joe Walsh got his hands on the ball to disrupt a lineout drive. And the Stags got an arm or a leg or part of somebody’s body under Dylan Nel when he lunged for the line after Vilimoni Koroi had sliced through.
Banks nailed a penalty right on halftime to cut Otago’s lead to 13-10.
Otago had played more rugby and was more disciplined. But the Stags are tenacious opponents and added some starch in the form of Tony Lamborn, who joined the fray from the bench for the second spell.
The visiting side pulled ahead when Banks knocked over a couple of penalties.
He tried to extend the lead with a dropped goal attempt but pushed it wide.
Koroi responded with two penalties for Otago to recapture the lead and it set up a tense finish.
Enter Lio-Willie.
Prop Abraham Pole had a decent debut as well, and Viliame Fine came on for Nareki for his debut and did not let the side down either.
In other games at the weekend, Taranaki beat Hawkes Bay 33-19, Wellington thumped Northland 54-7, Tasman pipped Bay of Plenty 27-14, Waikato beat North harbour 28-15, and Auckland defeated Canterbury 35-24.
