Rugby: Slick Border run in 10 tries

TOTAL DOMINANCE: Try-scoring hooker Cole Baldwin and the rest of the Border pack had it all their own way in Waverley on Saturday. PHOTO/FILE 280614WCSUP05

Waverley Harvesting Border did everything necessary to secure favourable position in the race for the key Tasman Tanning Premier home semifinal spot, but were helped by the wheels falling off Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist's campaign on Saturday.

The 65-14 destruction at Dallison Park allowed Border, who scored 10 tries, to lock away the slippery bar of soap that has been the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield, while also keeping themselves in second place for at least this week.

However, having the last bye of the round robin, they are unlikely to maintain their two-point advantage over Integrity Motors Pirates, who will now face the deficient Marist side which, after a reasonably competitive season, has suffered 50-plus point hammerings in their last two games.

Relishing a muddy yet firm pitch with a strong wind advantage in the first half, Border camped in Marist's danger zone and were lining up for tryscoring opportunities, even getting in each other's way on kick-and-chase raids as first-five Fraser Middleton and halfback Lindsay Horrocks were allowed freedom to dictate terms by some bad Marist tackling, poor recovery behind the line and shallow kick clearances.

Marist fullback Grayson Tihema, first five Tyson Manaena and winger Scott Dowman were under the pump in a day they will want to forget.

Border's tryscoring forwards hooker Cole Baldwin, No8 Ray Stark and standout flanker John Laurie hammered their opposition into easy turnovers and ran through traffic at will.

The most welcome recipient of the domination was the season's top points scorer Sikeli Ulukuta, who easily cut through despairing final tackle attempts for a hat-trick of tries, while getting plenty of goal-kicking practice to add 13 points.

At 58-0 with 20 minutes left, Border seemed likely to surpass McCarthy Ruapehu's 80-0 massacre of Utiku Old Boys on April 5.

But with the semifinals looming, Border coach Ross Williams subbed all his leading players, which allowed previous coach Peter Richardson going on for a halfback cameo.

Ulukuta and prop Kamipeli Latu were also sinbinned for professional fouls.

That let Marist get into rare attacking position for two late consolation tries.

Facing an anxious wait to see who they face and where in the semifinals, based on this coming weekend, Williams said their initial training sessions will be "light stuff" to let his players clear their heads after the pressure of the past month, before "ramping up" the following week.

"Realistically, it's not the physical thing.

"It's been a long season. The body is willing, but they're sore.

"Is the bye a hindrance?

"We'll tell you in two weeks."

They won't be relying on Marist pulling off a miracle against Pirates, with Marist coach Jason Hamlin admitting it will be a hard ask to get his relatively young side to lift themselves out of the quagmire.

"The boys are a bit down in the dumps on it.

"Our lack of depth has hurt us, resting guys with niggles, and the others have no experience. We're not quite there."

Other than kickoffs, only once in the entire first half did Marist get out of their own 50m zone after centre Ioesia Bolealeki managed a breakout, but Middleton just spread the ball to centre Sailoso Naqiso as they ran it 60m back and set up Ulukuta for his second try.

Ulukuta, Naqiso and double tryscoring fullback Ben Aiken often had to stop for bounced or lobbed passes, yet they still easily stepped through some woeful tackle attempts to scoot over.

Border were so tired from all the running that despite a 31-0 score they let Ulukuta take a penalty kick on halftime so they could get a breather.

It was getting embarrassing as Marist lock Tom Monaghan chased one second-half kickoff, only for it to bounce off his head.

Ulukuta completed his hat-trick after another Baldwin burst but was then binned for knocking the ball down, with Marist second five Matt Neilson burrowing over in a rare bright spot for the visitors.

Latu's departure allowed Marist No8 Ian Hawkes to add their second try after a series of quick taps, but an attempt to keep pushing for consolation points saw the ball spilled as Laurie swooped and dashed 70m untouched for a deserved five-pointer.

Grand Hotel Challenge Shield - Waverley Harvesting Border 65 (Sikeli Ulukuta 3, Ben Aiken 2, Cole Baldwin, John Laurie, Ray Stark, Lindsay Horrocks, Sailoso Naqiso tries, Ulukuta pen, 5 con, Jack Lupton con) bt Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 14 (Matt Neilson, Ian Hawkes tries, Grayson Tihema 2 con). HT: 34-0.