It was the perfect finish to the province's 150th celebrations.
A rampant Otago side steamrolled its way to the National Provincial Championship, scoring 80-plus points against Northland and Wellington before demolishing Taranaki in the semifinal.
Facing Waikato in the final, a side it had lost to early in the season, Otago overcame injuries to loose forwards Isitola Maka and Josh Kronfeld to win convincingly, 49-20.
It was a season that started encouragingly, had a few speed wobbles, and ended with a bang.
Coach Tony Gilbert, now retired in Alexandra, said this week there were great moments throughout the season.
"I remember one game near the end of the season and one of the opposition was going in to score in the corner. [Jeff] Wilson came across and smashed him out and then yelled "not in our house".
"The crowd rose to him. And that was the way the public was. They were outstanding.
"The whole community was on a buzz. They were like an umbrella around the team. They were part of the team."
Otago started the season well, beating Canterbury 41-23, and, after a mid-season blip at Eden Park, where Auckland prevailed 41-19, the side went on a roll all the way to the the final, where Otago flags dominated the terrace and the side appeared destined for victory.
With an All Black front row and an All Black loose forward trio, the pack provided a steady supply of ball to a talented and quick backline.
Gilbert said the side was easy to coach, and trainings were down to two a week near the end of the season.
"They were a pleasure to coach. I really enjoyed the performance of the team. Me and Phil [assistant coach Phil Young] just sat back and enjoyed the play.
"The last three or four weeks the players took absolute responsibility for performing."
Gilbert felt the game against Wellington, won 82-10, was the most complete performance, as "they did not have a bad side".
Certainly, with names such as Umaga, Ieremia, Cullen and Preston in the team, Wellington fielded a solid outfit.
Gilbert said the returning All Blacks, fresh off five straight losses, did not take long to get back into the Otago environment.
"They were lifted by the other members of the team and the Otago public."
One of the players who enjoyed a great year was winger Brendan Laney, who equalled the Otago record of tries in a season, with 16.
Laney said this week it was a great period to look back on and a privilege to be part of.
"I remember one day with all the people lining up for tickets, we had to park a long way away and walk to practice," Laney said.
"They were all yelling out to us. It was a great feeling."
He said competition for places undoubtedly helped the team, and people were desperate to play.
"In 1996-97 they were pretty lean years. But everyone came together and we had a lot of fun and the town had a lot of fun."
The competition win prompted talk of a dynasty but it never eventuated.
The Highlanders made the Super 12 final the next year, coached by Gilbert, but Otago has not won a national provincial competition since.
Gilbert said for various reasons, with injuries and life changes, the side drifted apart.
He was not sure whether such a campaign could happen again.
"It was a different era. It is a different world now. The professional world had only just started then and a lot of those guys were from the amateur era . . . the moons were just in alignment."
