The Boland Cavaliers were crowned Carling Currie Cup First Division champions dramatically after they outscored EP's Elephants by five tries to four after the teams were left deadlocked at 27-27 after extra-time on Saturday.
The tries scored law had to be applied by referee Paul Mente to separate the teams after 100 minutes of nerve-jangling action at a wet and muddy Boland Stadium in Wellington.
The win enabled the Cavaliers to end the season unbeaten and successfully defend their title in front of a jubilant home crowd.
With six minutes of normal time left, Boland went into the lead when hooker Neil Rautenbach scored his second try to give the home side a 20-17 lead.
Never-say-die EP, however, forced the game into extra-time when Jayden Bantom booted a penalty to level the scores at 20-20 in the final minute of normal time.
In the first period of extra-time, replacement Taine-Randall Booysen scored a five-pointer which Ashlon Davids converted to give Boland a 27-20 lead.
The teams ended the first period of extra-time level at 27-27 after scrumhalf Wayne Ngubane scored a late try for EP.
EP took the lead for the first time in the match after 59 minutes when giant lock Lugisile Mbiko scored his second try after sloppy Boland defensive work.
With Bantom kicking the conversion EP held a narrow 17-15 lead in an absorbing final.
With the wind at their backs, Boland dominated the opening exchanges and their relentless pressure paid off after eight minutes when wing Cornell Engelbrecht crashed over for the game's first try.
EP hit back four minutes later to level the score at 5-5 when powerful hooker Temba Boltina dotted down after a driving maul.
Despite the wet and slippery conditions, Boland opted to give the ball air and they were over for a second try when burly prop Dayan van der Westhuizen split EP's defence.
EP were rewarded for persistence when Mbiko charged down a Boland clearance to score his team's second try to level the score at 10-10.
The conditions resulted in numerous handling errors from both sides as they battled to gain ascendancy in testing conditions.
The momentum swung EP's way after 31 minutes when Boland's van der Westhuizen was yellow carded by referee Mente after a series of transgressions by the home side.
In the last play of the of the first half after the hooter, however, Boland moved into a 15-10 lead when hooker Rautenbach scored after line-out maul split EP's defence.
Scorers:
Boland Cavaliers 27: Tries: Cornell Engelbrecht, Dayan van der Westhuizen, Neil Rautenbach (2), Taine-Randall Booysen. Conversion: Ashlon Davids.
EP Elephants 27: Tries: Temba Boltina, Lungisile Mbiko (2), Wayne Ngubane. Conversions: Jayden Bantom (2). Penalty Bantom.
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