All was well and the day of the game arrived. My lack of urgency in the preceding weeks had resulted in me being ticketless for the match, although the polar blast which cut through the city like an arctic scythe had me thinking I'd made the right call. Then in the afternoon I was made aware of a rare spare ticket to the match.
As I was about the only person left in Dunedin who wasn't going, it was offered to me. I gladly accepted it on behalf of a third party only to find out my 'blind date' for the evening was none other than West Coaster Andy Thompson! The irony was too delicious to pass up.
And so we met up pre-match and made our way to the ground in the freezing, driving rain, soaking up the atmosphere in anticipation of the clash. Thommo made short work of a pulled pork roll, a hot dog and some chips and washed it all down with a few ales before we found our seats. They packed the 27,000 fans in like sardines and I found myself nestled in between the Big Coaster himself and some young farmers from Tapanui in West Otago.
The lads, like so many others, had made their way to the big(ish) smoke for the game and hadn't wasted any time in fuelling up for the big occasion. The bloke beside me was odds-on to either relieve himself of the contents of his guts on all the other poor sardines around him or pass out in his seat. Remarkably, he showed tremendous resilience and not only saw the game out but also was able to engage in semi-coherent conversation.
Thankfully the pre-match Scottish-themed presentation, which threatened to be a cringe worthy affair, was a simple sword presentation from Highlanders skipper Luke Whitelock to his Lions counterpart Sam Warburton. And then the game began - and what a game it turned out to be.
Two evenly matched sides on a fast, dry track that were allowed to play thanks to the officiating of the best referee in Super Rugby, Australian Angus Gardner.
And at the end of eighty minutes, after a see-sawing encounter which saw tries scored, the lead change hands and some valiant play from both sides, the Highlanders emerged victorious thanks in no small part to the nerve and ever-reliable boot of Marty Banks.
The Reefton-born five-eighth couldn't even make the squad at the start of the season but now has his name etched in Highlander folklore for his successful penalty inside the last ten minutes to give the home side a one point advantage which they clung onto with their lives until the final whistle.
The Banks offspring managed to do what his father couldn't more than thirty years ago, playing for Buller-West Coast in a losing effort against the touring Lions. And thanks to another fine West Coaster I was able to see it live, and for that I am grateful.
Maybe I should've let him stay at my house after all... although I'm sure I'll get over it. Hey, look at that - I'm over it!
Who is Dom George? On The Country Radio Show Dom is Jamie Mackay's reluctant sidekick and show producer. His cheery disposition is further enhanced by the fact that he has to get up at 4 am every day to host The Country Early Edition on Radio Sport. (5-6 am Tue-Sat). Tune in...if you dare.
