Let's call it the "Macca Miracle".
Whatever it was, it belonged in rugby heaven.
Mercurial utility back Mackenzie Haugh pulled off an outrageously skilful manoeuvre to help Southern clinch a shock 26-20 win over Taieri in the Dunedin premier club final on Saturday.
With time running out and Taieri leading 20-19, the Magpies needed some magic and Haugh provided it.
He took the ball to the line and chipped over the defensive wall in front of him.
The ball broke nicely. He regathered and beat a cover defender all in one swoop, before stepping off his left to account for another desperate soul.
And there it was — the corner flag and he was on an angled run towards it.
He skipped through another lunging effort before Taylor Fiddes dragged him to the ground a metre short.
But flanker Jordan Dwight was right there in support and scooped it up to score what proved to be the match-winner.
What a moment. What a play. What a player.
"I’m still soaking it in," Haugh said when asked how he was feeling.
"I haven’t played centre too many times, but when the coach asks you to do something that benefits the team then I’m happy to do it."
Haugh has previous form on the big stage.
He came on as a sub for Southern in the 2017 final and nabbed three tries to help his side beat Harbour 24-15.
Haugh may have hogged the limelight at the end, but he was in a long queue of Southern players who took the game to Taieri.
Dwight was epic. He made a crucial turnover down the other end 20 minutes earlier to help his side out of a tight spot.
First five Jack Leslie notched 21 points and scored a pretty flash try himself.
Veteran No 8 Mika Mafi got yellow-carded midway through the second half but hit the ball up awfully hard — just ask Sam Fischli who was sent flying backwards when he got in the way.
Lock Rewi Pomare put in a mighty shift. He replaced Izaak Parata after about a minute and made some telling carries.
Halfback Shibata Ryoto cleared well and hooker Jake McEwan was busy.
But no-one saw Southern’s win coming really.
Magpies captain Harry Taylor said they used some of the negative press about their prospects as motivation.
"We fed off that and the fact that Taieri was such a good side and going for their three-peat," Taylor said.
"We got energy from that."
Taieri was unbeaten leading into the final and was rarely pushed during the season.
But the team turned down several opportunities to kick for goal and failed to convert some really good opportunities.
Some credit should go to Southern, who defended stoutly. But Taieri was not has clinical as it had been all year.
The Eels had the better of the opening exchanges. Brayden Laing slotted the first of his five penalties.
But Southern shook off its nerves and its big ball carriers started getting in behind the defensive line.
Leslie knocked over a couple of penalties.
But the defending champions set up a lineout drive and hooker Brady Robertson went over.
Southern snatched back the lead when the experienced Mitchell Scott got in a tangle and was penalised for shepherding.
Scott quickly redeemed himself, though. He snatched an intercept to snuff out a promising move and scampered 20m.
Southern infringed at the ruck and Laing knocked over a penalty from 40m out to put the Eels up 11-9.
Taieri’s key moment came midway through the second spell. Mafi had just been binned and Taieri had an attacking scrum but could not make headway.
The Eels moved it to the
right but Dwight got a turnover and Southern backed its way out of a corner.
But the game all hinged on that marvellous run by "Macca" Haugh.
Dunedin club final
The scores
Southern 26
Jack Leslie, Mackenzie Haugh tries; Leslie 2 con, 4 pen
Taieri 20
Brady Robertson try; Brayden Laing 5 pen
Halftime: Southern 16-14
