Border flanker Angus Middleton comes up to drive on big Fijian lock Sekonaia Kalou during their semifinal victory over Pirates at Dallison Park on Saturday.
It's simple maths - if you can't secure your own set piece ball, you will not have enough momentum, energy, and time to beat Waverley Harvesting Border.
The Tasman Tanning Premier defending champions put the breaks on Black Bull Liquor Pirates' late season rampage to wear out their talented young Samoan bolters on a muddy Dallison Park track on Saturday.
The 25-7 scoreline made the semifinal sound closer than it was, as Border scored three tries but could have had twice that as they dived over the line several more times, only to be called back for infractions during the movement.
During the arm wrestle of the first half, Border's tight five were able starve Pirates of meaningful possession, as lock Jack Hodges stepped out of the shadow of Sekonaia Kalou and the departed Sam Madams to pinch a half dozen lineout throws during an inspired performance.
No 8 Ranato Tikoisolomone again imposed himself with powerful surges from the opening minutes to fulltime.
Border also picked up their share of scrum tightheads, and it was only some wayward passes and ill-directed kicks from the brains trust, along with understandable handling issues on a wet July afternoon, which kept the visitors in the match.
Pirates trailed by a point as they took the second half wind advantage, but Border turned it on through their pace out wide as Tom Symes combined with Nick Harding to score a Piratesesque try as they broke through one-one-one tackles for Harding to dive in at the corner.
That effort was trumped by former secondary schools running champion Harry Symes, who scored a stunner which started when Border went from their own line, as the lightning-paced reserve winger ran 85m, around and away from his despairing chasers, to score one of the great playoff tries.
Those were the main highlights in an otherwise slow and slippery game of winter rugby.
"We weren't accurate enough in the set piece," said Pirates coach Phillip Morris.
"They got momentum after half time and didn't let us in the game.
"You get a mindset it's going to be easier [with the wind], but it's not.
"The month of soft rugby didn't do our cause much good."
Regarding the immediate plans of his large group of Samoan imports, Morris said "whoever is wanted" by the representative selectors will be sticking around.
Having taken Border back to their third consecutive championship game, coach Justin Lock was sure by halftime if his team could get out of their own way with ball in hand, the weight of possession would tell, even going into the cold breeze.
"The wind's never won a game of rugby yet.
"It's a lot easier to attack into that wind.
"[Pirates] fronted up, especially in that first half. We were not exiting."
Again, Lock was pleased with the added intensity by the bench, which will be crucial on finals day, as Harry Symes did his fantastic dash after only just coming on, while veteran enforcer Ray Stark and loose forward Kieran Hussey consolidated on the prior work by Hodges and the pack.
"Jack had his best game of the year today, there's no doubt about that."
Early on, Pirates showed glimpses of the form which got them 199 points in two games as Lasa Ulukuta made a big bust with flanker Tafulu Isaako and winger Romeo Tiatia, with Ulukuta constantly ranging to support playmaker Denning Tyrell.
But with Hodges suffocating their lineout ball, Pirates couldn't get traction and then were stung when flanker Fa'amanu Manutulila collared a flying Harding and was sinbinned, with Harding adding three points.
Border drove hooker Cole Baldwin over the line, while flanker Angus Middleton also made a charge down to dive over, however referee Ben Lourie called them back for accidental offside and a knock-on respectively.
Halfback Lindsay Horrocks let off a couple of misdirected passes and kicks, so with the pressure relieved and back to full complement, Pirates counter-attacked as Tyrell put a nifty grubber-kick under the posts for fullback Tupu Ulufale and centre Suilagi Lafi to both dive on, with Ulufale given the confirmation of scoring.
Border responded quickly off midfield surges by Tikoisolomone and Kalou, with first-five Grayson Tihema putting an attacking chip into the corner.
Chasing the bad bounce, winger Junior Ainea was hit by motoring Border centre Kaveni Dabenaise and threw a wild pass inside, which the slipping Ulufale couldn't reach before Tihema dived into the in-goal to score.
Harding was off target with the conversion and a 50m penalty attempt to try and extend the advantage before halftime, while Ainea was also short on a long-range attempt into the wind.
Border effectively signed off on the match straight after the break as the ball was spread for Tom Symes to palm away Tyrell and feed Harding, who bumped off the last man and dashed into the corner before converting from the sideline.
Pirates got a rare attacking chance as Ainea shot through a gap at the ruck, finding lock Reece Dix then prop Faamanu Pulemagafa, but the ball was lost at the Border corner flag.
With the Pirates outside backs standing back awaiting the inevitable kick from the scrum, Border instead chanced their arm as Tikoisolomone ran centre field, and then Harding transferred the ball out to Harry Symes, who turned a half-gap into a 15m head start with an amazing in-and-away blitz to go under the posts and even shock his own coaches.
The die was cast at 22-7, although Border could only add another Harding penalty, as Stark was called back for not taking his quick tap try on the mark while, Tom Symes was denied a try in the corner for putting his right arm out while scoring.
Border 25 (G Tihema, N Harding, H Symes tries; Harding 2 pen, 2 con) bt Pirates 7 (T Ulufale try; F Iosua con). HT: 8-7.