Northland has held on to the Ranfurly Shield, beating Tasman 20-10 in Whangarei in a heated NPC clash.
Taniwha captain Rivez Reihana scored a crucial late try to secure a 10-point advantage, with under five minutes of game-time remaining.
The evenly contested match was tied 10-all at halftime, with the tension boiling over into aggression at times between the rival players.
The ecstatic Northland captain said he was savouring every moment and “soaking it in”.
The players would tour the Log o’ Wood to “every corner of Northland” in the upcoming weeks.
“It’s indescribable at the moment,” Reihana told SkySport.
Northland have posted four wins from five games in a successful campaign, and are second on the table behind leaders Hawke’s Bay.
“It’s a special taonga, and it’s been a long time that it’s been up north, so I’m just glad we’ve got if for another week.”
The next Shield challenge will be a clash against Waikato on September 12 in round 7.
Earlier in NPC rugby action, Counties Manukau recorded their first win of the season to beat winless Wellington 46-35.
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