Ian Stevens was the hooker for Otago in the 1957 challenge against Wellington, Otago winning 19-11.
For Mr Stevens, it was the highlight of his career in which he played 43 games for Otago.
Now 95, and living with wife Jean at Yvette Williams Retirement Village, Mr Stevens got his hand on the shield yesterday.
A former captain of the Southern senior side, he was visited by current Southern captain Harry Taylor, who was part of the successful Otago side which took the shield off Canterbury last month.
Stevens, who can quickly remember his birthday, May 16, 1930 — "I have had 95 of them so I should remember" — said the team may have won in 1957, but it took a while to get back to Dunedin to celebrate.
"We were on tour and we couldn’t just come straight back. You used to get the bus up to Christchurch and then get the ferry the next day from Lyttelton to Wellington," he said
"The crowds were great and we went down to the Botanic Garden where there was a huge crowd."
Unfortunately, the reign did not last long. For reasons still unclear to this day, the side played Whanganui and then lost to Taranaki at the end of the season.
It was 56 years before Otago won the shield again.
Stevens said the current Otago team was playing great rugby and he got a real thrill out of the successful challenge against Canterbury last month.
Now it was another trip to Christchurch to take on the red and blacks for the NPC title.
"They are playing so well. They can take them on up there and beat them."
