Senior Whanganui rugby moves to Friday night in Waverley with duck shooting planned for Saturday

Duck shooting takes precedence in Waverley, moving senior rugby action to Friday night on Dallison Park. Photo / File

It is the annual "Duck Shooting" night games at Dallison Park in Waverley this evening, and the Border Seniors want to do their part for the spectacle just as well as their high-flying Premier team.

Waverley Harvesting Border, with the undeniable array of attacking talent they have attracted to South Taranaki, are always hunting WRFU silverware.

Meanwhile, usually down the bottom end of Senior grade, the more humble local lads in the "B" team were content to just plug away, take the heavy licks from stronger sides, and enjoy a quiet Saturday beer afterwards.

However, Border pulled off the upset of the WRFU 2020 season in their final game, when from dead last on the points table they overran then third-placed Utiku Old Boys 33-12.

Coming into this season under coach Neihana Parkes, Border went toe-to-toe with 2020's runners-up, Ali Arc Logistics-DNA Kennels Marist Celtic - a penalty in front near fulltime costing them in the 16-14 loss - before comfortably beating Speirs Food Marton 25-5 last week.

To put this in perspective, Border lost those games in 2020 by scores of 59-0 and 26-15.

"To be fair, we didn't think we were going to have a team – the boys just come out of the woodwork, and they're putting in a decent amount of work for what we want to achieve," said Parkes.

Like the Premier squad, the Seniors also switched to extended Wednesday training sessions and have seen positive results.

"When we were running Tuesday-Thursday, everyone was, 'aw, Tuesday's a fitness day', and wouldn't show up.

"It's a good change in recent years. All we can do is build on what we've started."

Now with a run of home games, it will soon be revealed if Border can truly turn their fortunes around after years in the Senior points cellar, starting with Marist Buffalos tonight.

While Parkes has a group of predominately young players, he is confident they have enough experience to adjust to night-time football, where the depth perception lowers and there is dew on the ball.

"The majority know what to expect, we're just ready to go. It's tightening the little things up."

The older veterans of the team are Dean Barr and Mark Crawford, while running the cutter is Tyrone Albert, having recent Premier experience.

The Senior draw is

April 30: Border vs Buffalos, Dallison Park, 6.15pm.

May 1, 1pm kickoffs unless otherwise stated: Pirates vs Kaierau, Spriggens Park, 1pm; Counties vs Celtic, McNab Domain, 2pm; Taihape vs Hunterville, Memorial Park 1; Utiku OB vs Ratana, Memorial Park 2; Marton vs Ruapehu, Marton Park