Waverley Harvesting Border coach Ross Williams has poured cold water on any cynical talk, even from among his club supporters, of giving a half-hearted effort against Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau tomorrow.
Having seen McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu re-emerged in customary fashion in the latter half of the Tasman Tanning Premier round robin - a comeback he could have predicted when his otherwise dominant team just scraped by 23-21 in Ohakune on May 28 - Williams has acknowledged the mountain men appear the much tougher semifinal opponent than the young faltering Kaierau team.
However, with Kaierau holding just a one point lead in fourth spot coming into a weekend where Ruapehu defend the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield at home against wooden-spooners Harvey Round Motors Ratana, Williams wants to keep his team's unbeaten run at Dallison Park intact and then prepare for whoever may come next weekend in the playoffs.
"They'll have Ace [Malo] back. You never know, but we're not going into it to give anyone any favours," he said.
"There's been talk around [Kaierau winning], but you want to be successful and play every team.
"People say, 'you can avoid Rua,' but would I rather play them at home in a semi or at Cooks for a final?"
"There will be no [underhand] games played.
"I will only rest guys who potentially have niggles. We've identified some areas of our game that need some work."
Therefore, the one star player being saved tomorrow is fullback Nick Harding, who has been working through a hamstring injury during this second round of games.
Even without Harding (10 tries), Border's all-around strength with forwards laying the platform for well-executing backs is reflected in Premier's tryscorers list where three of their outside backs sit in the top four - led by Fijian centre Kaveni Dabonaise (18 tries), then wingers Tom Symes (13) and Isaiah Hooper (12), while Harding's deputy Grayson Tihema has dotted down twice in his absence.
"It's probably a reflection of the fact we're trying to play an expansive kind of rugby," said Williams.
Another reason for Border not taking it easy to possibly deny the late-charging Ruapehu is neither third or fourth on the table is secure anyway as Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist travel to face Utiku Old Boys on what should be the first of two weekend trips to Memorial Park.
Marist will not have one of their own leading tryscorers in Simeli Koniferedi, and coach Jason Hamlin took note of Utiku upsetting Black Bull Liquor Pirates 38-29 on the park last Saturday.
Therefore, all he asks of his team is consistency tomorrow, rather than being at either extreme of the spectrum - either "flat" or attacking "willy nilly" - as both can lead to disaster.
"At the start of the season, if you'd said we'd have one game to get into the semifinals, I'd have taken that.
"You've got to bear in mind what you've got to do when you play teams like Utiku.
"If you attack randomly, they can easily shut you down - they're big, strong boys."
Nonetheless, the prospect of travelling to Memorial Park for two straight weekends - as victory guarantees the 2nd vs 3rd semifinal with PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape - means tomorrow presents a golden chance for Marist to get acclimatised and find an efficient travel routine.
"We're keeping our players minds on what we've got to do this weekend," said Hamlin.
"It's me and Jerome [McCrea]'s job to sort out all the other stuff.
"Depending on how we go this week with it, we'll see if we have to travel earlier."
Taihape will also want a proper hit out in their trip to Spriggens Park to face a Pirates team approaching their last hurrah.
The two-time defending champions have had a season to forget with just four wins, but did give Taihape some concerns in the 24-12 loss in Round 1.
While Taihape won the Paul Mitchell Cup as first round victors while Ruapehu seem destined to finish the season as they started with the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield, Border have also earned their first season silverware which they will share with their Senior squad.
As Border's Premiers have dominated while the Seniors just scraped into this weekend's quarterfinals, the club will lift the cross-grade Weekes Cup as Whanganui rugby's best overall performers.