After 19 false dawns, 19 what-might-have-beens, Otago gets its chance tonight to again taste Ranfurly Shield glory.
It has been 52 years - and 19 fruitless challenges - since the shield last graced the Otago rugby trophy cabinet, and Otago gets a chance to bring it south when it plays Wellington in the capital tonight.
Last week, the world celebrated the 40th anniversary of man landing on the moon.
When Otago last held the Ranfurly Shield, man had not even made it into space.
There have been plenty of missed opportunities and heartache in that long barren run: The one-point loss in 1968; the agony of conceding a last-minute penalty in 1994; missed tackles in 2000.
Otago is the first major union to challenge for the shield this season, and it is Otago's first challenge since 2006.
The team left Dunedin yesterday after a quick training run at Carisbrook.
The hype and expectation have been low key all week.
Players have talked about simply wanting to put on a good performance, while coach Steve Martin has said the season was about 13 games, not just one.
Otago is virtually injury-free and has no players with All Black commitments, but it will still take a mighty effort over a talented Wellington team.
More than 200 blue and gold fans are making the trek north.
All Otago Rugby Football Union staff will be at the ground, courtesy of the staff's social club.
As for omens of a win, take your pick.
The last time Otago played in Wellington, it was hammered by 60 points.
But what side did it beat to win the shield all those years ago? Wellington.
