Bryn Gatland said he did not have much time to think about slotting a dropped goal to win the game at Forsyth Barr Stadium last night.
Gatland coolly slotted the ball between the posts with time all but up to win the final.
"I hadn’t actually thought about it until the scrum happened. If the boys get closer and closer it could be on," he said.
"It got to a point when they were just buggered, and they had worked hard all game. I thought ‘I’ve just got to go now’.
"It was straight, it was pretty ugly, to be fair, but it went over and that is all that counts."
Gatland said it was a great way to repay all the loyal servants of North Harbour rugby who had stuck with the side through the dark times.
North Harbour coach Steve Jackson said the side had actually been practising a dropped goal routine.
"Against Tasman we had an opportunity to go for a dropped goal and we did not take it. We took a lot of learnings from that game and knew if it ever came down to that moment we would be able to execute it," Jackson said.
He said the side simply stuck together throughout the season and that is what got them through.
"Our guys just work hard for each other. They enjoy their rugby and the environment. They are willing to roll their sleeves up and do the donkey work."
Otago coach Cory Brown said the game could have gone either way.
"We went down 14-7 and came back to 14-all and had some opportunities but we couldn’t quite nail it," Brown said.
Harbour was clever in controlling the final few minutes and not giving Otago much space.
"They were pushing the limits pretty well and controlled that middle of the field. We like to play a width game, but unfortunately couldn’t get it.
"It’s just gutting, really. We had the opportunity to win it but just couldn’t."
