It's home! Celebrations continue as Ranfurly Shield arrives in Hawke's Bay.
Thomas Airey reporting
Magpies reserve prop Joel Hintz took on the most stressful job of them all - keeping the Ranfurly Shield safe as it was celebrated deep into a Dunedin night.
So when Hintz touched down at Hawke's Bay Airport on Monday morning, it was his turn to celebrate.
Arms aloft, he raised the Log o' Wood to the sky as dozens of ecstatic Hawke's Bay fans who had gathered in Napier just before 11am cheered.
Magpies prop Joel Hintz, left, and the Ranfurly Shield led the players and coaches off the plane. Photo / Paul Taylor
The team flew back from the South Island to be greeted by an arrivals lounge packed with proud supporters.
As is tradition, the reserve tighthead was given the responsibility of keeping NZ provincial rugby's most sought-after prize safe.
Ranfurly Shield caretaker Joel Hintz and his Hawke's Bay Magpies teammates were mobbed by scores of fans on their arrival at the airport. Photo / Paul Taylor
Hintz said it was special to have been the trophy's guardian over the preceding 12 hours or so, although the job came with a couple of nervy moments:
"When I'm not looking, the boys might grab it for a photo and I get a little bit freaked out, but everyone's been looking after it and respecting the old Log o' Wood."
Hintz said the crowd there to meet them at the airport was unreal, and he and his teammates really appreciated the constant support, saying it never goes unnoticed.
Hawke's Bay tighthead prop Joel Hintz, right, with Magpies superfan Shayne Dickson and an important piece of carry-on luggage. Photo / Paul Taylor
"Being a Monday, you didn't expect many people to be here but to get a full, packed-out airport is pretty special, it means a lot."
Openside flanker Brendon O'Connor, who was also a key cog in the Magpies' two previous Shield reigns between 2013 and 2015, said it was a pretty special reception.
"The Hawke's Bay supporters here are great, we always get great support from them, year in, year out."
The Hawke's Bay Magpies returned home with the Ranfurly Shield after a successful challenge for the third time since 2013. Photo / Paul Taylor
Midfielder Ollie Sapsford said it was awesome to be able to bring the famous trophy back for those loyal fans.
"The community always gets behind us, they always have, it's so good," he said.
Sapsford was evidently right in the middle of his side's celebrations on Sunday night, with Magpies fullback Kurt Baker posting a photo on Instagram of himself perched on the 24-year-old's shoulders.
However, in typical Baker fashion, the new Magpie recruit was up there fully nude, repeating a trick he would often pull after a tournament win with the All Blacks Sevens.
Baker opted not to make any comment at the airport, leaving Sapsford to answer for the trademark celebration:
"He only does it when he's winning, and he seems to be in a few winning teams."
Magpie midfielder Ollie Sapsford was busy off the bench in the win over Otago, but it was his post-match celebration with teammate Kurt Baker that really caught the eye. Photo / Paul Taylor
And Sapsford said he is loving being part of a winning Magpies group this season, with a great atmosphere and culture in place, from upper management right through the players.
"We didn't even really focus on the Shield [in the buildup to the game], we just worried about ourselves, playing our game and our roles," he said.
"The Shield was just a bonus."
Magpies coach Mark Ozich said while his team still have plenty of work to do this year, it was important to celebrate the kind of victory that might never happen again for the group.
"I think we need to enjoy this, celebrate the Shield and celebrate [Ash Dixon]'s 100th for Hawke's Bay," Ozich said on Sunday night.
"No doubt there'll be people in the community who wanna celebrate, we've just gotta get that balance right."
Hawke's Bay Rugby Union chief executive Jay Campbell said winning the Ranfurly Shield was a celebration for all of the region so they hope to have some public community engagement on Friday.
"We are currently working alongside the various councils to finalise how this looks so that Magpies fans can get up close and personal with the Shield and some of the Magpies," he said.
