"I remember the build-up. Six days earlier we had lost to North Auckland [33-28 in Whangarei] and on the bus trip home the following day Norm [captain Norm Hewitt] and GK [coach Graeme Taylor] called a meeting.
"Norm made the call there would be no alcohol until after the Lions game ... that was a big sacrifice back then but we more than made up for it after the win," Taylor said. "That decision set the tone for the whole week. The feeling was there early in the game we would win. Our scrum destroyed their scrum which was surprising considering they were an international side."
Taylor propped against Jason Leonard, who would go on to play 119 games for England, including matches in their 2003 World Cup winning side.
Leonard was 24 at the time and still learning his trade which is why Taylor ranked former All Black and Waikato prop Graham Purvis as the toughest frontrower he marked in his first-class career, which also included games for the New Zealand Barbarians and the New Zealand Supporters XV.
"I remember GK was so calm and collected at half-time. 'We're going to win this regardless', was all he needed to say," Taylor recalled.
Now 53, a father of two and grandfather of five, Taylor was working for his family's Waipawa Timber Supplies business back then.
"There wasn't much work done for about two weeks after the Lions game. Everybody wanted to come into the yard and talk about the game," Taylor, who is now the Hawke's Bay branch manager for The Pellet Company, said.
The Saturday before the Lions match, Taylor played for his Waipawa United club side which beat MAC to win promotion back to the first division.
"That was another good omen," he recalled.
Coach Taylor didn't use any substitutes in the match.
"None of us wanted to come off," prop Taylor said.
For the record, hooker Hewitt, No8 Simon Tremain and halfback Neil Weber scored tries for the Magpies while first five-eighth Simon Kerr kicked a conversion, penalty and dropped goal and fullback Jarrod Cunningham kicked two penalties.
"I remember Neil's try. We drove from the lineout and I thought I scored but it was on the five-metre line. Neil picked the ball up and got the try ... he's been dining out on the try at my expense ever since," Taylor said with a laugh.
Taylor, who won three Maddison Trophy winner's medals as a player with Napier Technical and two as a coach with Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports, is now a co-coach of the Pirate colts. He has previously coached the Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools and Hawke's Bay B teams.
Taylor is predicting the Lions to beat the Wallabies in tonight's first test across the Tasman.
"For the Lions it's a similar scenario to 1993. After losing to us, the Lions won the second test against the All Blacks and earlier this week the Lions lost to the Brumbies. The Aussies are in a bit of turmoil too."
