Wellington have continued their unbeaten start to the National Provincial Championship with an entertaining 36-31 win against Canterbury in Christchurch on Sunday.
In a rematch of last year's final, the Lions repeated the dose with a sharp display in the south, holding off the fast-finishing Cantabrians to claim their fifth win in as many games and shoot to the top of the competition standings.
But there were some nervous moments for the visitors, who watched their 19-5 halftime lead turn into a 31-31 deadlock with 10 minutes to play.
With four minutes remaining, Losi Filipo burst clear down the right wing and crossed for what would eventually become the match-winning try and his second of the afternoon.
Wellington ran in six tries to Canterbury's five - which included a hat-trick to Canterbury wing Blair Murray - in a contest that delivered plenty of value for money.
In other NPC action on Sunday, Tasman Mako have come from behind to beat North Harbour and snap their two-game losing skid in dramatic fashion.
With the scoreboard tied at 15-15 at the end of regulation, the match entered golden point.
After a sustained assault in the Harbour redzone, the tryline pressure from the hosts ultimately told, as Macca Springer sent Timoci Tavatavanawai clear down the right edge to run in the game-winning try just two minutes into the extra period.
The result leaves North Harbour winless through four games to start their 2023 campaign and mired at the bottom of the standings.
Meanwhile, Tasman's victory ensures they end their demanding 'storm week' schedule on a positive note, after defeats to Northland and Wellington.
In the day's final contest, Waikato were comfortably too strong for Counties Manuakau, running out 37-15 winners in Hamilton.
After a low-scoring first half, the hosts exploded to life in the second stanza, piling on 31 points to close out victory.
The result breaks a three-game losing streak for the Mooloos, leaving Counties with just one win trough their first four matches.
Wellington 36 (Southall, Filipo 2, Umaga-Jensen, Halalilo, Preson tries; Clarke 3 con) Canterbury 31 (Murray 3, Grace, Funnell tries; Burke 3 con)
Tasman 20 (Tavatavanawai 2, Mafielo, Springer tries) North Harbour 15 (Mafileo, Koller, Taefu tries)
Waikato 37 (Ratima, Sinkinson 2, Tupaea tries, penalty try; Cook-Savage 2 con, 2 pen) Counties Manukau 15 (Ofa, Nanai-Seturo tries, Hohepa con, pen)
