You won't find many All Blacks playing Heartland Championship rugby - but look no further for the real passion in our national game.
Neither East Coast and South Canterbury were prepared to take a backward step in their pre-game haka, before their Meads Cup semi-final at Pleasant Point, near Timaru.
As their hosts huddled on their own 10-metre line, the North Island visitors advanced way beyond halfway to perform their traditional challenge, so when their rivals assembled their haka line, they found themselves literally nose to nose with the opposition.
Both teams continued to roar at each other, with two players remaining several seconds after their teammates had dispersed, unwilling to flinch.
That intensity translated into a thrilling encounter that saw East Coast race out to a 17-3 lead, but when they lost two players to overlapping yellow cards in the second half, the hosts took full toll of their numerical advantage to score four unanswered converted tries to prevail 34-17.
South Canterbury will host Whanganui in next week's final, after the 'Butcher Boys' overwhelmed Thames Valley 38-3.
