It is a keeper and so are two new faces in the blue and gold.
Otago pulled away to beat North Otago 49-14 in Oamaru yesterday.
The home side played with plenty of pluck but never threatened to whip away the Log o' Wood.
Otago enjoyed the better of the set pieces and was more threatening with the ball.
Outside backs Jona Nareka and Vilimoni Koroi always looked likely, and first five-eighth Ash Moeke had an impressive debut.
He slotted all seven conversions in a tight goal-kicking display.
He got marked down half a point for a missed penalty but was otherwise outstanding.
South African halfback Rowan Gouws scored the try of the game.
He chipped the defence from the based of a scrum from 50m out, regathered and scored.
It must have been pretty close to his first touch of the ball for Otago.
Moeke is effectively on trial and may well end up with a playing contract for the rest of the season.
Otago coach Ben Herring was suitably impressed.
"Very flawless. I thought his kicking game in general was very good.
"He certainly put his hand up for future starts for us," he said.
Thames Valley arguably gave Otago more of a fright a couple of weeks ago in Wanaka.
But the home side certainly enjoyed some good periods.
A crowd of about 2000 became awfully excited when winger Howard Packman dived across in the corner midway through the first spell.
Chunky tighthead prop Meli Kolinisau drove over from close range in the second spell to loud applause.
And halfback Robbie Smith was close to the best player on the field. He cleared the ball and made several darting runs.
Otago led 21-7 at halftime. The visiting side dominated the opening 20 minutes.
Koroi slipped over for a try in the ninth minute from a 5m scrum.
North Otago had been defending well up until that point but ought to have wrapped a bit more beef around Koroi. Then lock Josh Dickson was shunted over in a nicely executed drive from close quarters.
North Otago's major contribution had been two early knock-ons but it finally got some ball in Otago's half and edged closer to line bit by bit.
Otago gave away too many penalties in defence of its line and eventually second five-eighth Sio Tomkinson was binned for getting himself offside.
North Otago struck immediately. It spun the ball from a scrum out to the left.
It was not a clean attack. A loose pass had to be scooped up but the ball quickly made it to winger Packman and he scored in the corner.
But Otago resumed control of the match. Following a couple of scrums in the shadow of the posts, Aleki Morris skipped through another feeble tackle to dot down.
Nareka scored early in the second half but Otago was not able to pull away until the final quarter.
Gouws sparked the side with his cracking effort and Saula Ma'u and James Lentjes joined him on the scoresheet.
Ranfurly Shield
The scores
Otago 49
Vilimoni Koroi, Josh Dickson, Aleki Morris, Jona Nareki, Rowan Gouws, Saula Ma’u, James Lentjes tries; Ash Moeke 7 con
North Otago 14
Howard Packman, Meli Kolinisau tries: Robbie Smith 2 con
Halftime: 21-7.
