We've learned with Auckland rugby teams over the years that it is never over till the Fat Lady sings. Last night she finally sang and all of Otago sang with her.
The celebrations when Otago beat first division Auckland 32-25, to win the Lin Colling Memorial Trophy and achieve its first victory at Eden Park since 1976, were almost as if Otago had won the Ranfurly Shield.
The Otago team which last won the shield, in 1957, was of modest reputation. So was the side which won last night. It finished bottom of 14 teams last year.
It trailed 15-9 at halftime and the outlook was even bleaker when prop Halani Aulika was sin-binned but that was when Otago stepped up.
There was still the prospect, that hard on defence and leading by seven points, Otago would somehow surrender the lead in the final minutes and the victory for which the province had waited for 35 years.
But the forwards wound down the clock and then came the merciful sound of the hooter.
There have been too many near misses at Eden Park in the past 35 years to catalogue - in the last 10 minutes, in the last five minutes, even in the last minute.
Otago has been denied by fair means and foul, but it has always been denied. So the ecstacy of the players, was understandable.
Key roles were played by fullback Glenn Dickson, who contributed 22 points, and Tony Brown and Kees Meeuws.
Brown and Meeuws are 36 but big hearts beat beneath those blue and gold jerseys. Brown controlled the game and, if there was any doubt about his place in Otago rugby folklore, he erased it last night.
So, victory at Eden Park for the first time since 1976 when, by coincidence, Lin Colling's brother, Don, was the Otago captain. That was all we wanted - to win, and for the Fat Lady to sing.
• Brent Edwards, former Otago Daily Times sports editor, covered too many Otago losses at Eden Park to count.
