Matt McGahan has fond memories of beating Canterbury last year but warns you cannot live off those laurels as he prepares for Sunday's rematch in Albany.
North Harbour's 29-24 midweek win in 2014 was fit to rank as one of the biggest upsets in NPC history, the Championship cellar-dwellers against the Premiership leaders, the six-time defending champs on a 6-0 tear. But Harbour uncorked a resilient display full of intensity and energy. McGahan, who will likely line up at fullback, as he has done since game two, played at second five that night and kicked four goals. No less than 13 of the current Harbour squad played a part in that game.
The challenge is to replicate that energy and adherence to the game plan. Though Harbour sits at 2-4, just out of the Championship top four due to Otago's astonishing win in Wellington, they are a much improved outfit from the near rabble that was dispatched 43-0 by the Lions a month ago. Canterbury are 5-0 and second on the Premiership table.
"We haven't touched (on last year) too much," says the 22-year-old McGahan.
"Canterbury will probably have a salty taste in the mouth from last year, so knowing them, we'll have to be on our game for the whole 80 minutes. But we definitely take some belief, even knowing that Canterbury will be coming here to seek a bit of revenge."