Everyone expected a murder in the flatlands. Instead, there was a miracle.
It can be hard to keep a lid on the superlatives following a result like this.
The Highlanders still can't avoid the fact they won just three games this season, matching the worst tally in their 13-year history.
Nor can they shake the unpleasant reality they are, again, the lowest-placed New Zealand side in the Super 14.
And that grates almost more than anything.
And it is entirely fair to say the Crusaders had absolutely nothing to play for on Saturday night.
And that they played as poorly as they have in years.
AND that possibly the long goodbye for coach Robbie Deans finally clouded their preparation for a game.
But let's wallow for a bit.
The Highlanders have beaten the Crusaders.
In Christchurch.
It's the ultimate feel-good story.
A bunch of raggedy, mulleted hoons, journeymen and uncovered talent travels to one of the more intimidating venues in world rugby and comprehensively outplays a perennial champion stacked with All Blacks.
Daniel Carter and Richie McCaw? Ordinary.
Adam Thomson and Toby Morland? Spectacular.
It's fairytale stuff.
Can one win save a season? Why not? Six months from now, the boilover at AMI Stadium will resonate in the memory bank, and the long run of competitive losses before it will have faded.
Are there players of All Black quality in this Highlanders squad? Absolutely.
You tell me Thomson, Hayden Triggs, Clint Newland and Paul Williams aren't good enough to play at test level, or that Craig Newby's form in the last month doesn't warrant a recall.
Around the Highlanders and Otago headquarters at Logan Park, they love to talk about keeping the faith.
Our faith in this team has been tested by a lean few years, but a result like Saturday's makes you want to stand up and shriek Hallelujah.
They can actually do it.
They can haul in a disparate group of players and be competitive in this competition.
Of course, mixed with the elation at the Crusaders win has to be some frustration, and one big question: why couldn't the Highlanders have produced an 80min performance like this on one or two occasions earlier this year?They will argue there was always likely to be pain before gain, which is fair enough when you are assembling a radically new team.
But if the Highlanders had not blown the Hurricanes game, if they had not been robbed by the officials against the Reds, and if they had shown more composure against the Force, they would be hovering outside the top six.
What now? How to ensure the glorious night in Christchurch translates into something concrete and positive for the Highlanders?I'm putting the ball squarely in the New Zealand Rugby Union's court.
With one simple rule change allowing the Highlanders to hold on to their draft players they can ensure this season has not been a total waste.
For the Highlanders, they need only look across the ditch for an example of how teams can be turned around.
The Force finished rock bottom in its debut season, 2006, but has been a strong semifinal contender since.
And the Waratahs plummeted to 13th last year and are now getting ready to host a semifinal.
On a less positive note, it seems the critics were right.
New Zealand really can't sustain five professional franchises.
No longer can we accept a team that has made the semifinals just once in 13 years, and has just ended its season with three losses.
Sorry, Chiefs fans, they've got to go.
