That is how it played out on Saturday night at Forsyth Barr Stadium as the Highlanders beat the Blues 38-28.
At long last, the Highlanders hung on to the ball, their forwards performed well and the backs ran hard and straight.
''The whole team really knew they had it in them. The first 40 minutes was pretty simple, really. The forwards go forward and backs hold on to the ball. No magic recipe,'' Hore said.
''The passes stuck, the forwards carried hard and got over the gain line. That gave quick ball to the backs and we got into them.''
The Highlanders had a dream first half, scoring four tries and having 80% of possession and just as much territory.
Hore said his side, bottom of the Super 15 and with just one win from its previous 12 games, had talked about playing for some honour.
''We have been talking about personal pride and being able to hold your head up and play well. It doesn't matter if you are from Northland or Southland or wherever, you still have people sitting in a bar or family back home watching. So you want to get out there and play a game you can be proud of.
''We did not change much. It does not matter how many times you train at this time of the year. If you catch and pass and go forward, if you can get that right, then you can't go wrong.''
Hore said he was not worried when the Blues scored right before halftime, as it was a flukey try and the Highlanders did nothing wrong to concede it.
Though he was reluctant to pick someone out in an excellent team performance, when asked about the effort of Fumiaki Tanaka, he praised the Japanese halfback for his option-taking.
''But that was helped by what was going on in front of him and the way our forwards got on the front foot and delivered ball to him.''
Tanaka had a top game but he was one of many stars for the Highlanders in what was, by some distance, the best performance of the season.
The home team got into its work straight from the kick-off and the woeful starts of recent weeks simply did not happen.
Within 10 minutes, the Highlanders had their first try on the board. Ben Smith, who was once again impressive, ran the ball up hard to within 10m of the line and after a couple more drives at the line, the fullback picked up the ball at the back of a breakdown, and charged over untouched.
The Blues were getting no ball and their cause was further hampered when halfback Piri Weepu collided with Mose Tuiali'i's knee and was knocked out cold. He left the field on a stretcher.
The Highlanders did not let up and just after halfway through the first spell, classy centre Tamati Ellison went over, straight off a scrum. Five minutes later, Smith scored his second, scything through from 10m out.
Hosea Gear then cut through a bewildered Blues defence after 32 minutes and the Highlanders had their second four-try bonus point of the season.
Down 29-7 at the break, the Blues scored three tries in the second half to manage a bonus point but never really got close and the Highlanders were always in control.
Though everyone put their hand up for the home side, lock Josh Bekhuis played one of his best games in a Highlanders jersey, and Tanaka made the most of his chances.
Colin Slade looked the player so many in the South were excited about when he signed late in 2010 and Smith was, once again, a quality operator.
Highlanders v Blues
The scores
Highlanders 38
Ben Smith 2, Hosea Gear, Tamati Ellison tries; Colin Slade 3 con, 3 pen, Hayden Parker pen
Blues 28
Waisake Naholo, Rene Ranger, Steven Luatua, Luke Braid tries; Baden Kerr 4 con
Halftime: Highlanders 29-7.
Crowd: 12,888
