Hawkes Bay wing Ryan Tongia says the team is determined to keep the Ranfurly Shield in Napier after an all-too fleeting reign last season.
The Mapgies won the shield off Otago in 2013, only to lose it to Counties Manukau six days later.
The iconic prize was recaptured two weeks ago, with Tongia scoring the match-winning try.
The former PNG league international says rugby has been a hot topic around town following the shield win and the All Blacks test against Argentina.
"There's a lot of excitement [and] high energy: us as a playing group and obviously as a province. It's quite fitting that it's Otago the first challenge and Hawkes Bay were the team that took it off them last year. They'll definitely be ready for carnage, I guess you'd call it, and be looking to throw everything they possibly can in order to make sure that shield goes home with them but we've just got to be ready, on our game and ready to go."
Hawkes Bay wing Ryan Tongia.
