Harlequins were crowned champions of England for the first time - three years after their reputation looked battered beyond repair - by defeating Leicester 30-23 in a thrilling Twickenham final.
Quins came to the party by refusing to abandon their free-flowing style, and such adventure was rewarded as skipper Chris Robshaw lifted the Aviva Premiership trophy.
Tries in each half by wing Tom Williams and Robshaw - accompanied by 20 points from fly-half Nick Evans' trusty right boot - saw Quins become the sixth different club to be crowned Premiership champions after Newcastle, Leicester, Wasps, Sale and Saracens.
This time three years ago Quins were reeling from Bloodgate fall-out, a despicable cheating episode during a Heineken Cup quarter-final against Irish heavyweights Leinster.
Dean Richards, their rugby director at the time, received a three-year worldwide coaching ban for his role in instigating Williams chewing on a fake blood capsule in an attempt to get potential goalkicking matchwinner Evans back on the field after he had departed injured.
It was unquestionably English professional rugby's most unsavoury episode, but Quins - led by their inspirational Irish rugby director Conor O'Shea - have now turned things around spectacularly.
Evans kicked six penalties and a conversion, eclipsing his 19-year-old opposite number George Ford, whose 13-point haul included conversions of both Leicester tries by flanker Steve Mafi and centre Anthony Allen.
Leicester scored 10 unanswered points during the final quarter, but Quins had already done enough to consign the Tigers to their fifth defeat in eight successive Premiership final appearances.
Man-of-the-match Robshaw believes Harlequins have now silenced their critics after some suggested they have held a false position, after the likes of Leicester's star names spent the initial part of the season on World Cup duty.
"Some people wrote us off and said we're only there because of the World Cup," he said in an interview on ESPN.
"We've proved them wrong.
"It is so surreal. We owe a lot of it to the fans. It's so nice to repay them."
"It's been about the squad all year, I think this squad has allowed us to fight on all fronts.
"At the end it was nerve-wracking but that's what we've been like this season.
"It was a bit difficult, especially when Ben Youngs went through. They scored off a few of our mistakes today but we held on."
Nick Evans capped his own remarkable season with silverware and added: "What a season. That game sums up our season - we play well, get two scores in front and let them (opponents) back in.
"We've been there to be shot at and we've held them off all season so it's great.
"We've thoroughly deserved this."
Asked if the breakthrough success had erased the club's recent controversies, including the infamous 'Bloodgate' scandal, Evans added: "They're gone. As far as I'm concerned they're gone.
"All due respect to media, it's a tattoo on the club, but those players have left.
"I hope it is (the start of a new chapter). If we stay together as a team then I'm sure we'll get a lot more wins and a lot more trophies hopefully."
O'Shea warned the win could signal the start of a period of dominance for his side.
"A couple of years ago this team said it wanted to create a different chapter in Quins history," he said.
"We want to be a great side. This has to be a starting point. We'll start from scratch next year, but we'll enjoy tonight.
"It's a very special day for the club. I'm so proud of the effort of those players."
Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill conceded Quins deserved their victory and bemoaned his side's lack of composure.
"We didn't cherish the ball. We tried to force it a bit too much which we didn't want to do," he said.
"They outplayed us at times although we still managed to score two good tries and fight right until the end again.
"But they probably deserved it. We will go away now and regroup."
