It was revived at the Forsyth Barr Stadium yesterday to help the Otago Rugby Football Union raise revenue to pay its creditors.
The All Blacks were not there but it still drew a crowd of 7427 and excited the players who were just below the All Black level.
The first interisland game played since 1995 was won by the South Island 32-24.
The game was first played in 1897 and has been won by the North Island on 50 occasions. It was the South Island's 27th win yesterday. Three games have been drawn.
"It has been difficult to fit the game in over recent years because of the busy programme," North coach, former All Black captain Graham Mourie, said after the game.
But the new international three-week window agreed by the International Rugby Board makes it possible to revive it.
"Without the All Blacks the game did not have the same sort of glamour," Mourie said. "But there was certainly plenty of fizz today and a bit of heat at times."
Mourie captained the North Island on five occasions and played in the game six times for three wins and three losses.
"The younger guys in our team were excited about coming here to play," he said.
Highlander Kurt Baker will not easily forget the game. He played a big role in the South Island's first win since 1982.
The fullback scored two tries and kicked three goals to equal the best game score of 17 points by a South Island player.
His contribution also helped the South Island to record its highest score in the game. The previous best was 31 points in 1927.
"It could become New Zealand's answer to Australia' rugby league origin series," Baker said.
"The popular concept was that it would be a fun game. But all the guys took it seriously, as you saw."
Former All Black assistant coach Tony Gilbert, who coached the South, said the interisland game had a future.
"It is different than it used to be but it is a good game to put in during this international window," he said.
"It will give the players below the All Black level a chance to shine," he said.
He would like to see it continued to be based on the franchise system that was used this year.
"It would have been good if the guys not in the test 22 had played today," Gilbert said. "It would have added to the occasion."
North Island first five-eighth Lachie Munro enjoyed the experience.
"There was a real rivalry as you saw with a couple of dust-ups today," he said.
''It's a real cool game. I would like to see the concept continued. We threw the ball around and I think the crowd loved it."
