Rusiate Vukula scored two tries for Pirates against Utiku Old Boys at Spriggens Park on Saturday. Photo/Bevan Conley
Taihape's misery at losing the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield to Speirs Food Marton was compounded by the fact Tasman Tanning Premier's remaining Top 4 teams all did the business with bonus-point victories on their home grounds on Saturday.
Waverley Harvesting Border stayed on the pace to give themselves an outside chance of a home semifinal while also getting payback on the unpredictable Harvey Round Motors Ratana, 27-5 at Dallison Park.
Border scored two tries in each half, with winger Sikeli Ulukuta continuing his points-scoring ways with a try and three kicks.
Facing the bye in the final round, Border remain a point behind Integrity Motors Pirates while incredibly, thanks to Marton's upset, they now have yet another opportunity to claim the Shield this coming Saturday, which they have already won and lost twice this season.
Meanwhile, now seven points behind Taihape, Ratana must win all three remaining games and hope other results go their way to sneak into fourth spot.
Any Premier coach will tell you there is nothing worse than facing Pirates the week after they have had a disappointing loss, and Utiku Old Boys had drawn the short straw as they were beaten 46-12 at Spriggens Park.
Pirates ran in seven tries, including a double to second-five Rusiate Vukula, while winger Clive Stowers scored to retain a share of the lead for the season's top tryscorer, now shared with Ulukuta.
Up at Rochfort Park, McCarthy's Ruapehu continued their mortgage on the top of the table with a no-nonsense 31-7 win over Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist.
The game was still open at 17-7 at halftime, but two more second-half tries saw the defending champions comfortably home.
In the Senior championship, Power Farming (PN) Hunterville made a definitive statement when they reclaimed the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield and moved six points clear on top of the table with a 28-17 win over Tech.
Border kept alive their hopes of breaking into the Top 4 with a 36-18 win over Trans Pacific Pirates.
The Senior consolation grade saw Marton's hopes of finishing top of the table hit a speed bump when they lost 27-14 to Taihape.
Counties opened up a little breathing space by hammering Ratana 52-0.
Meanwhile, Kaierau finally got on the board as the last Senior or Premier team to win a match in 2014, coming from nine points down at halftime to beat Marist Buffalo's 15-14.
Results, June 28
Tasman Tanning Premier, Week 15
Integrity Motors Pirates 46 (Rusiate Vukula 2, Motoi Alaifea, Clive Stowers, Brett Turner, Denning Tyrell, Matt Thompson tries, Manulua Lafi pen, 4 con) bt Utiku OB 12 (Semi Rabrada, Michael Nabuliwaqa tries, Te Rangi Tapu McLeod con). HT: 20-0.
Waverley Harvesting Border 27 (Ben Aiken, Lindsay Horrocks, John Laurie, Sikeli Ulukuta tries, Ulukuta pen, 2 con) bt Harvey Round Motors Ratana 5 (Kane Tamou try). HT: 15-0.
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield - Speirs Food Marton 16 (Mundsan Ah Chong try, Jake Karaynidis 3 pen, con) bt Taihape 15 (Johnathon Maxwell, Luke Whale tries, Tom Wells pen, con). HT: 3-all.
McCarthy's Ruapehu 31 (Taina Wallace 2, William Short, Peter Hiroti, Ash Tamehana tries, Tautahi Rawiri 2 con, Zyon Hekenui con) bt Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 7 (Grayson Tihema try, Tyson Manaena con). HT: 17-7.
Bye: Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau.
Grand Irish Bar Most Valuable Player points
At Spriggens Park: Rusiate Vukula (Pirates centre) 3 points, Brett Turner (Pirates prop) 2, Michael Nabuliwaqa (Utiku OB fullback) 1.
At Waverley: Ray Start (Border No8) 3, Vance Pereka (Ratana centre) 2, Lindsay Horrocks (Border halfback) 1.
At Taihape: Michael Thomsen (Marton No 8) 3, Ritchie Iorns (Taihape prop) 2, Johnathon Maxwell (Taihape flanker) 1.
At Ohakune: William Short (Ruapehu halfback) 3, Andrew Evans (Ruapehu No 8) 2, Ryan Gill (Marist No 8) 1.
MVP Leaders: Lindsay Horrocks (Border) and William Short (Ruapehu) 17 points, Ryan Gill (Marist) 12, Ray Stark (Border) and Manulua Lafi (Pirates) 11, Sikeli Ulukuta (Border), Vaan Rauhina (Ratana) and Clive Stowers (Pirates) 10, Darren Munro (Kaierau) and Andrew Evans (Ruapehu) 9, Marcus Tottman (Taihape) and Jamie Hughes (Ratana) 8, Simon Hillis (Pirates), Hoani Rameka (Utiku OB) and Nick Cranston (Ruapehu) 7, Isaac Greer and Michael Thomsen (Marton), Zyon Hekenui (Ruapehu), Brett Nichols (Taihape), Rory Gudsell and Simon Dibben (Marist) 6, Ephraim Reynolds and Josh Edwards (Kaierau), Logan Vaughan (Ruapehu). Junior Tume (Pirates), Michael Nabuliwaqa (Utiku OB), Jaye Flaws and Dane Whale (Taihape) 5.
Senior Championship, Week 15
At Dallison Park, Waverley: Border 36 bt Trans Pacific Pirates 36-18. HT: 24-5.
At Hunterville (Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield): Power Farming (PN) Hunterville bt Tech 28-17. HT: 10-5.
At Rochfort Park, Ohakune: Ruapehu bt Marist Celtic 15-0. HT: 12-0.
Senior Consolation, Week 15
At Spriggens Park: Kaierau bt Marist Buffalo's 15-14. HT: 14-5 Buffalo's.
At McNab Domain, Kaiwhaiki: Counties bt Ratana 52-0.
At Memorial Park, Taihape - Taihape bt Marton 27-14. HT: 5-0.