There has been plenty of water under the bridge since All Black captain Richie McCaw played in the top four rugby final for Otago Boys'.
It is the same for Ryan Martin, now coach of the Otago Boys' High School first XV.
But as the two talked about school games yesterday, it felt like it happened last week, not 14 years ago.
Martin was captain of the school side, including McCaw, when it played Rotorua Boys' High School in the top four national school final in Christchurch in 1998.
On Saturday, McCaw will captain the All Blacks against the Springboks at Forsyth Barr Stadium, earning his 111th cap.
Martin has a big match, too.
His side will take on St Kentigern College in Auckland, in the schools' top four final.
That will be the first appearance in the final for Otago Boys' since Martin and McCaw played, which ended in a 5-5 draw.
"It was probably beyond our expectations that we got there ... I remember in that semifinal we were up against Kelston Boys' and they scored a try in the first minute and I thought we would be lucky to keep it to 50," McCaw said.
"But we tackled our guts out and really hoed into them. Ended up winning 13-7. Maybe they were a bit complacent. They thought they were going to get there easy.
"We had our chances in the final but we didn't take them and ended up drawing."
McCaw scored his team's only try in the final. Former All Black and Highlander Craig Newby scored the try for Rotorua Boys'.
"We were lucky to be in the top four really. We got smashed by Southland Boys' 34-0 early in the season but managed to just beat them 6-5 to get into the top four."
Martin said there was belief in their side and hoped this year's side would go that bit further than the 1998 team.
The 2012 version has won 24 games this season.
McCaw has gone on to conquer everything in rugby and advised his old school team to come in under the radar on Saturday and work hard.
"All the pressure is going to be on them [St Kentigern College]. Finals rugby can do funny things. Sometimes the team that should win and deserves to win doesn't end up winning."
