Excitement was evident around the country, as NPC teams returned to training outside Auckland.
Teammates have had a chance to catch up and have a hit out more than a week from their first games back.
Even injured All Blacks Sam Cane turned up for a runaround.
The injured NZ captain joined in the laughs, but won't join his teammates on the field for a while longer, as he recovers from a shoulder reconstruction.
Now everywhere - except Auckland - has moved into COVID-19 Alert Level 2, the team is focusing on what's ahead.
"It's nice to know we have a game in 10 days time, so we're training with a purpose," says prop Aidan Ross.
Players are focusing on something they couldn't do in lockdown - contact training.
"It's that much match fitness that we've definitely lost over the three weeks and you only get that back by training," says Ross.
And there was plenty of excitement further north too, with Northland Taniwha back training as well.
"There was plenty of noise and volume this morning in the gym," says captain Jordan Olsen.
And it turns out there were some benefits to being apart for a while.
"In some respects it kind of freshens up a little bit mentally and a little bit physically," says Northland coach George Konia
But Bay of Plenty are already gearing up for one of their biggest games of the season.
"We've got the prospect of a [Ranfurly Shield] challenge, which doesn't come around that often," says Bay of Plenty coach Daryl Gibson.
The 'Battle of the Bays' beckons, as the road back to rugby normality begins.
