It was 50 years ago to the day on Saturday man first stepped on the Moon, with the simple phrase "the Eagle has landed" signifying the momentous occasion as Apollo 11 touched down.
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It was therefore fitting the anniversary was celebrated on Saturday by an Eagles side taking off and reigniting its own flight for the ultimate prize in Central West rugby.
The Cowra Eagles produced a gutsy and composed performance at Dubbo's No. 1 Oval, with two tries in the final four minutes securing a massively important 33-21 win over a Kangaroos side which was described as having "nothing" in the second half.
The second stanza of the gripping contest was a dogfight compared to the first. The opening 40 saw momentum swing back and forth as each side ran in three tries, the Roos going into the break with a 21-19 advantage.
No points were scored in the second half until those final stages, as Cowra finally made its sustained pressure count and secured third spot on the Blowes Clothing Cup ladder.
After a blistering start to the year the second half of the season has not been ideal for the men in red and white, and they headed to Dubbo having won just one of their past six matches.
The influential Chris Miller missed the match but a number of others were back, while leading playmakers Troy Jeffs and Gonzalo Carrizo delivered in a big way to get the Eagles back towards their best.
"It's a great win and it's great to come here and get the win," Cowra centre Bill Cummins, who scored a double and was electric throughout the game, said at full-time.
"It was great to have one of our better sides on the park this week and there was a bit of cohesion.
"We stuck at it for the full 80 and we haven't done that for a few weeks so we're feeling pumped."
Roo's director of rugby, Beau Robinson said the Cowra leadership stood up when it needed too, while offering scathing words on his own team's performance.
"There was nothing. That second half had no substance," he said.
"I just think it was a case of their leadership stepping up and steering the ship, playing smart tactical football and we got frustrated with that and didn't work out a way on the field to get out of that position."
"It was more a reflection of how good their leadership is.
"Troy Jeffs is probably one of the best game managers in the competition, to be honest, and I've seen that for the past two years. He's spot on and knows what to do.
The improved cohesion showed early on as the Eagles dominated the opening stages and scored the opener through Cummins.
But the lead didn't last too long as tries to Jack Finch and Tim Beach, and the boot of Hamish Gordon, had the hosts up 14-7.
Things shifted again and the Eagles took control once more and seemed set to go into halftime with a 19-14 lead before a Ben Knaggs break resulted in a Roos try for Angus Howard.
The more the second half went on the more Cowra began to take control and after going close on numerous occasions in the final quarter, a fast shift to the right saw winger Amani Waqabuli catch and juggle the ball before scoring out wide.
Jeffs scored right on full-time to ice the result.
The Eagles are now certain to finish third behind the Bathurst Bulldogs and Orange Emus, a position the Roos were eyeing before Saturday's loss.
Cowra will now host the minor semi-final against the Roos or Forbes.
The Roos face an all-or-nothing clash against Forbes in the final round, the Eagles will meet minor premiers Bathurst Bulldogs.
