Ralph Darling did everything he could to write himself into Ranfurly Shield immortality on Saturday.
The North Otago captain valiantly held up his side of the scrum despite giving away about 40cm and 20kg to his behemoth of an opposite number, Paea Fa'anunu.
He was denied a popular try when he appeared to have stretched out in the corner but was ruled to have been taken out, and there was no television match official to prove otherwise.
And after the game, which might have had a lopsided scoreline but featured a mighty effort from the challenger, Darling had a slight twinkle in his eye as he told an interviewer the shield was "the one that got away".
But one moment in the game will live on. One extraordinary moment that is the perfect rebuttal to those who blindly argue smaller unions should not be challenging for the Log o' Wood. One moment that will provide a hero of the heartland endless opportunities to brag in the future.
The score was still 0-0 a full 20 minutes into the game at Rugby Park when Telusa Veianu, the young Canterbury and Highlanders winger, found himself in open space.
He turned on the gas and found himself with only Darling to beat. And when a professional rugby winger meets a freezing works beef process room supervisor prop, the result is never in doubt. Right?
Darling, staying cool, showed surprising athleticism for his size and scragged Veainu down in a tackle that would have done Richie McCaw proud.
In such moments can the magic of the shield be found. Even in a game that unfairly matches professionals against amateurs.
North Otago, overall, could be more than satisfied with its effort, a week after being thumped by 70 points by a rebuilding Otago side.
The Old Golds had the extraordinary figure of 84% possession through the first 10 minutes, and held Canterbury - missing a dozen players but still featuring an All Black (Colin Slade), one of the Super 15's best No 8s (Nasi Manu) and a swag of nationally ranked youngsters - scoreless for the first 24.
At lineout time, the challengers were generally neat. They battled away in the scrum, despite being monstrously out-weighed, and they looked good when they recycled the ball and kept it in tight.
Darling received good support in the tight from locks Eric Duff and Dylan Winter, Josh Collier played above his size at No 8, and reserve front-rower Rob Mafileo had his moment of glory when he scored North Otago's only try in the 73rd minute.
First five Ben Patston utilised his kicking game adroitly, and fullback Billy Guyton showed the touches of class that have lit up the Heartland Championship.
Canterbury, playing at its temporary Rugby Park home, mixed periods of shakiness with glimpses of plenty of fresh talent.
Slade, coming back from two broken jaws with the Highlanders, played the first half and looked smooth and accurate without exactly setting the game alight.
Cantabrians to impress in the forwards included rangy lock Luke Katene and promising openside flanker Brendon O'Connor.
There was much to like when fullback Johnny McNicholl got the ball with time and space, while Robbie Flynn was a livewire in midfield.
