It was typical Israel Dagg.
Seconds after All Black and Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby fullback Dagg had tasted Ranfurly Shield glory for the first time in a nine-year first class career at ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe on Saturday he switched into entertainer mode. He told the media huddle he was responsible for the classy lineout drives which led to two tries to Magpies captain and openside flanker Brendon O'Connor as Hawke's Bay won the log o' wood for the second time in as many seasons with a nailbiting 27-21 victory over the Counties-Manukau Steelers in front of 6,200 fans.
"I introduced those drives into the Magpies camp after watching the All Blacks forwards perfect them at trainings," he quipped before Magpies head coach Craig Philpott pointed out his forwards had been rehearsing them for almost a fortnight.
Back in serious mode Dagg said while his lungs took a while to adjust to his first game since the August 2 Super Rugby final he enjoyed being back in action and in particular with the Magpies, a side which means a lot to him.
"I'm glad the shield is heading back to the Bay as the lads have worked hard for it. I can't wait to get into the All Blacks camp and stick it to the Canterbury boys ... they won't be getting the shield this year," Dagg said.
A world champion, Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship winner with the All Blacks, a world age group champion during his New Zealand under-19 days and a World Series Sevens winner during his All Black Sevens days, Dagg, said the only trophy he has yet to score is the Super Rugby one. Whether Saturday's display was enough to put Dagg back into the All Blacks 23 for Saturday night's test against Argentina at McLean Park won't be known until Thursday.
There were plenty of positives to push his case despite being guilty of trying too hard at times and losing the ball in the tackle on two occasions. His organisation of the Magpies' defence during the final eight minutes was first class, and he had an average gain of 8.8 metres from his 17 carries.
All of the Magpies deserve praise for their defensive work during the final minutes when the visitors conceded the bulk of their 10 second half penalties.
Philpott reckoned he was hiding under the coach's box table during these anxious moments. Now the Magpies have the shield back in the Bay Philpott said the plan is keep it longer than last year when they lost it in their first defence, against the Steelers.
Their first defence is against Otago in Napier on September 14. Philpott said he won't be resting key players when they travel to Whangarei to take on Northland on Friday night.
"The plan is to treat Northland as a must-win game. We can't afford not to if we want a home semifinal and home final."
O'Connor, the Magpies player-of-the-match, agreed his side went into their shells a little in the third quarter after establishing a 20-9 lead at half-time. He was rapt his troops gained revenge against the union who took the shield away from McLean Park last year.
A couple of poor kick off receptions counted against lock Mark Abbott in the battle for player-of-the-match honours. Otherwise his contribution was massive - 15 carries, 16 tackles and four defenders beaten.
Halfback Chris Eaton had his best match of the season for the Magpies. He was also second equal in the tackle stats with 16, one behind second five-eighth Andrew Horrell and proved he still has the necessary pace when he scored his try after supporting No8 Gareth Evans when he produced another of his devastating breaks from the base of the scrum.
Evans is the only injury concern in the buildup to Thursday's flight north with an ankle niggle.
It was appropriate winger Ryan Tongia scored the match-winning try for the Hawke's Bay Magpies in Saturday's challenge.
Tongia reckoned he was unlucky not to have been awarded a try in the first minute when Counties-Manukau TMO John Wright ruled he didn't have sufficient control when forcing the ball.
"It was a bit like one of my tries from last week. It had downward pressure from my torso ... fortunately we got the win in the end and it was great to have the family here to see it," Tongia said while giving his 5-year-old son Makaio a ride on his shoulders.
Makaio and Tongia's wife Rachel Stephenson, a former New Zealand touch representative from Dannevirke, flew from the Gold Coast to watch the match.
Tongia and captain and openside flanker Brendon O'Connor are leading the Magpies ITM Cup try-scoring statistics with three from as many games. O'Connor said after the match the impact Magpies supporters had had on the occasion was huge.
Match Stats
• Scorers: Counties-Manukau 21 (Augustine Pulu, Onosa'i Auva'a tries; Ahsee Tuala 2, Tim Nanai-Williams pens; Nanai-Williams con) Hawke's Bay Magpies 27 (Brendon O'Connor 2, Chris Eaton, Ryan Tongia tries; Ihaia West 2 cons, pen). HT: 9-20.
• Turning point: Magpies winger Ryan Tongia's 72nd minute try. This was the fifth time the lead changed and when first five-eighth Ihaia West added the conversion it left the Steelers chasing a converted try to win but the Magpies defence during the final seven minutes was flawless.
• Heartstopper: Tongia's disallowed try in the first minute when the Counties-Manukau TMO John Wright ruled he didn't have sufficient control. Fortunately this had no bearing on the game's outcome.
• Player of the match: Magpies captain and openside flanker Brendon O'Connor with two tries and 14 tackles as he led the visitors to their second successful shield challenge in 45 years. But only just ahead of halfback Chris Eaton and lock Mark Abbott.
'The twinkling fires dotted north and south as far as Te Awanga was magical.'