University No8 Tegan Hollows scored the match-winner and for her trouble lost a big chunk of flesh from her forehead.
She must have rubbed up against the sprigs of a Pirates player and had to be assisted from the field.
"There was a massive 50c piece-sized divot missing from her head,'' winning captain Megan Manson said.
"[She went to hospital] but not before saying you better not ... lose it from here.''
Her team-mates did not let her down, clinching a dramatic 17-13 win in the women's club final at Logan Park on Saturday night.
Pirates was forced to defend for long periods during the second spell as University battered away at its line.
The defending champion had managed to push winger Liv Waldron into touch to stymie yet another promising attack.
But it lost their own 5m lineout.
The ball was knocked down at the front and Hollows swept on to it and went over in the corner, with just under four minutes remaining.
At one stage Pirates led 13-5 and it appeared its defence would hold up. But classy first five-eighth Michaela Baker brushed off a couple of tackles and offloaded to Black Fern Victoria Nafatali-Subritzky, who muscled her way over, dragging several defenders with her.
She had a powerful game and also scored the game's opening try.
However, Pirates winger Kristina Moa'atane burst up field and sucked in defenders.
The ball was swung left and second five-eighth Bre Kaio Te Whetu got off a short pass to Greer Muir, who scampered 15m to score on the stroke of halftime.
With the second half still in its infancy, Moa'atane made another elusive run and the ball was swung to right winger Renaye Flockton and she went over in the corner.
Larissa Muir nailed a penalty midway through the period to give Pirates an eight-point buffer.
But University's superior fitness shone through and it spent most of the final 20 minutes camped in Pirates' territory.
"We knew if we could stay in it for 80 minutes our fitness would help us pull through,'' Manson said.
"It feels amazing. This year we've gone from strength to strength. In previous years we have not necessarily felt we could go the whole way but this year we've worked hard and we knew that this was our year.''
Manson said she never lost faith, even when Pirates was managing to scramble and keep the line intact.
"The last time we beat them we were down 17-0, so we've had a couple of come-from-behind wins and we were confident that our bench players would come on and lift the team another level.''
Outside back Rian Sanerive certainly made an impact when she came on.
Her extra pace and eye for a gap had Pirates searching for answers as she carved off territory.
But Nafatali-Subritzky was the star. She proved hard to pull down and created opportunities whenever she carried the ball.
Women's final
The scores
University 17
Victoria Nafatali-Subritzky 2, Tegan Hollows tries; Nafatali-Subritzky con
Pirates 13
Greer Muir, Renaye Flockton tries; Larissa Muir pen. Halftime: 5-5.
