Battle of Spriggens Park renewed for 2018

Pirates tryscorer Junior Ainea, looks to get his pass away against Kaierau last weekend, being tackled by former team mate Clive Stowers, who has transferred clubs

The Spriggens Park derby and the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield being on the line provide all the spice needed for the third round of the Tasman Tanning Premier competition tomorrow.

Having sat on top of the table through being the only team with two bonus point wins, the tough stuff now begins for Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist as they seek to lift the prize off their fellow beaten semifinalists from 2017 in Black Bull Liquor Pirates.

Pirates have already proved their mettle right out of the gate, after they upset an underdone Waverley Harvesting Border 22-17 in the opening week of the rescheduled draw, which incredibly was Border's first loss at home in 21 games, stretching back to 2015.

Going into the always awkward first round matchup with Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau, given so many personnel have been interchangeable between the town rivals in the last five years, Pirates were again firmly tested and a little unlucky to have to settle for a 19-19 draw, as Kaierau kicked their third penalty with time up on the clock.

Pirates coach Phillip Morris is always looking to cover his bases as he brings in talent from Samoa or other parts of the local scene.

The departure of regular top tryscorer Clive Stowers to Kaierau hurts, but the arrival of talented Wanganui Development XV and Sevens representative Elijah Ah Chong from Marist certainly covers it.

Talented young Samoans Raymond Salu, Fa'alele Iosua and Junior Ainea are back and love to play fast and physical, while the forward pack contains championship-winning veteans in Manulua Lafi, Brad Matthews and the indomitable Lasa Ulukuta.

It sets up a willing clash up front with Salu and Lafi matched against Marist's representative players Viki Tofa and Kaierau import Jack Yarrell, who with the retirement of Cole Baldwin will be looking to cement a spot in Steelform Wanganui's Heartland Championship plans.

Marist's steady hands in the backline in Meads Cup-winners Simon Dibben, recently named one of the WRFU's rugby development officers, and the estimable Cameron Crowley will look to test themselves against Pirates youngsters out wide.

Recent history suggests this will be another close clash, as Pirates just managed to pull out both games between the clubs last year – 33-32 and 32-29.

In the other games in third round, Kaierau will head into their third tough match in as many weeks as they play at home for the first time against Border, who regained their feet after the Pirates loss to comfortably dispose of PGG Wrightson-Ballance Taihape 39-11 and now play their first road game at the Country Club.

Settler's Honey Ngamatapouri have had a week to get their act sorted after the team were at sixers and sevens when they were slaughtered by McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu 95-5 last Saturday – Ngamatapouri now undertaking the longest road game in the competition against Taihape at Memorial Park.

Understandably buoyed by their 15-try rout, Ruapehu are back at Rochfort Park to face Harvey Round Motors Ratana.