The occasional Highlanders supporter could be spotted among a sea of jovial Lions fans clad in shaggy manes and tartan who spilled from every bar in the Octagon.
Despite the presence of some locals, the Lions proved to be louder at every bar visited by the Otago Daily Times, with some fans providing comical renditions of The Lion King's ''Circle of Life''.
Highlanders backer Dawn Paterson cut a striking figure in her blue and gold gear against the mass of red.
Ms Paterson, who is based in Hamilton, said the clash with the Lions was an opportunity to return to watch the team she ''loved'' near her home town of Invercargill.
John and Sandra Wyatt, originally of England, were more conflicted about who to support.
Wearing Lions gear, the pair sheepishly held Highlanders flags while standing in the Octagon.
Mr Wyatt said following a Lions tour had always been a dream for the couple, who were based in Kaikoura.
''We booked it as a tour from the UK though, so we started the tour there.''
As well as enjoying the action on the field, the tour was a reprieve from the shaky ground of Kaikoura, he said.
Lions supporters Jacob Anderson, of England, and Jacob Irwin, of Northern Ireland, said they would have missed the test had they not won tickets from a Dunedin cellphone provider.
The men, who had been working on a farm in the North Island, said the free tickets were an example of the hospitality they had encountered while following the tour.
The friendly rivalry between supporters of each team continued during a procession, led by a lone piper, from the Octagon to Forsyth Barr Stadium.
However, rivalries were cast aside when the procession encountered a traditional Chinese dragon dance performance at the Dunedin Railway Station.
It was a dragon, rather than lions or rugby players, that drew the most smiles.