Waverley Harvesting Border (left, in coloured jerseys, seen here winning against Dave Hoskins Carriers Marist last month) are out to win the 2021 Tasman Tanning Whanganui premier club rugby championship title. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Second round of the premier championship starts this weekend.
Border will be endeavouring to break a three-year "hoodoo" in its quest to win the 2021 Tasman Tanning Whanganui premier club rugby championship title.
Waverley Harvesting Border has sailed through the first round of the qualifying series unbeaten to win the Paul Mitchell Cup-Grand Café and Eatery $500 voucher for a second time.
The other success was in 2017 when the club won seven of eight first round matches with the sole defeat 30-22 at the hands of Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist on Spriggens Park in the final game of the first round series.
Fullback Nick Harding (212 points) and winger Harry Symes (15 tries) topped the individual scoring statistics for the season.
That was the last occasion that the top first round team continued on to win the combined championship title.
Last year Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau claimed the Mitchell Cup on the count-back from Border (a 19-12 home success being the decider) after both sides finished the first round with four wins and a loss.
Kaierau, who had twice completed the first round-championship double, in 2004-05, lost 13-18 at home to eventual runners-up Byford's Readimix Taihape in last season's semifinals with Taihape losing 22-19 to Border in the final at Cooks Gardens.
In 2019 unbeaten first round winners McCarthy Transport Ruapehu went out 16-22 away to Taihape in the semis with Taihape then beating Border 31-26 in a thrilling extra time final.
And in 2018 unbeaten Mitchell Cup winners Black Bull Liquor Pirates were taken apart 41-17 by defending champions Ruapehu in the final.
Other first round winners to miss out on championship titles during the new millennium were Taihape in 2016 (lost to Border 17-15 in final), Ruapehu in both 2011 (beaten 36-17 at Kaierau in semis — Ratana won final 17-15) and 2010 (losing 14-11 to Marist in final), Kaierau in both 2009 (beaten 28-9 by Ruapehu in final) and 2007 (disqualified from play-offs along with Ruapehu), Marist in 2008 (lost to Ruapehu 13-10 in extra time in final) and Ratana in 2000 (beaten 23-13 by Marist).
If Border can retain the overall championship crown on July 17 it will be the 12th time that the Mitchell Cup holders will have completed the title double since the turn of the century.
Ratana has achieved the feat four times (2006-03-01-01), Kaierau (2005-04), Pirates (2015-14) and Ruapehu (2013-12) twice each and Border in 2017.
Border's unbeaten first round effort this winter is the 15th time it has been achieved during the new millennium although Pirates in 2018, Ruapehu in 2013 and Ratana in 2003 were all held to a draw.
Border, the defending champions, went on to eliminate Black Bull Liquor Pirates 25-7 at Dallison Park in the 2017 semifinals but went down 28-26 to McCarthy Transport Ruapehu in the Cooks Gardens final when Craig Clare, who switched to Border in 2019, kicked 13 points including the match-winning field goal.
Helped by Mitchell Millar scoring 141 points, Marist qualified second in 2017 only to be pipped 10-9 by Ruapehu in a tight Ohakune semifinal. Millar switched to Ruapehu the following year with the club disposing of Pirates 41-17 in the final.
Border, deprived of the Mitchell Cup on the count-back by Kaierau last season, sailed through this year's first round unbeaten, scoring 210 points and 32 tries with the closest margin being 39-22 at home against 2020 championship runners-up Taihape.
Taihape finished second in the first round this year, 5 points adrift of Border, on the strength of a comfortable 32-8 home victory over Kaierau at Memorial Park last weekend, finishing the round with 225 pts and 34 tries.
This year's Border team is the 15th during the new millennium to go through the first round unbeaten although Pirates in 2018 (19-all at home v Kaierau). Ruapehu in 2013 (15-all away v Pirates) and Harvey Round Motors Ratana in 2003 (10-all away v Taihape) were each held to a draw.
The champion first round sides with maximum victories were Ruapehu in 2019, and 2010 Taihape in 2016, Kaierau in 2009-07-05-04, Marist in 2008 and Ratana in 2006-01 and 2000.
Mitchell Cup holders to suffer one first round defeat each were Kaierau in 2020 (5-6 at home v Taihape), Border in 2017 (22-30 away v Marist), Pirates in 2015 (18-19 away v Taihape) and 2014 (20-25 away v Kaierau), Ruapehu in 2012 (13-16 at home v Pirates) and 2011 (also 13-16 at home v Ratana) and Ratana (16-17 away v Taihape) in 2002.
Second round starting
Waverley, Taihape and Ohakune will host matches this weekend when the second round of the premier championship starts.
Unbeaten Border meet bottom of the table Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist at Dallison Park and looking to improve on an opening day 39-5 six tries to one victory at Spriggens Park.
Marist, who has managed a single win in the last 10 trips to Waverley — 27-25 to lift the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield in 2019 — will be heartened by a sound 32-17 home victory over Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri last Saturday, a first win for the year.
With express winger Vereniki Tikoisolomone pocketing another hat-trick of tries, Border disposed of Ruapehu 41-10 in Ohakune last weekend.
Border has proven it is the team to beat this year with five comfortable victories and it has a home advantage although the last defeat on the ground was against the green and whites two years ago.
Taihape scored eight tries to one up the Waitotara Valley during a 52-7 first round romp against Ngamatapouri who has plenty of elusive Pacific Island raiders who can occasionally prove troublesome if the forwards are able to win a fair share of the ball.
Third positioned Kaierau is away for a third successive weekend, this time to Rochford Park to tackle Ruapehu.
Kaierau is without a few key players including injured rep lock Cade Robinson and could find the "Mountain Men" more difficult than the first round 36-5 (five tries to one) home win at the Devon Road Country Club six weeks ago.
Ruapehu is a team that can rise to the occasion and could fully test the visitors.
Ali Arc Logistics-DNA Kennels Marist Celtic return to Memorial Park for a second successive Saturday, this time to defend the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield in the seventh round of the senior championship.
Celtic, third at present, beat Utiku OB 23-5 on the same ground a week ago but Taihape could be tougher despite a 21-27 home loss to Kaierau last Saturday.
Kelso Hunterville has been in fine form this campaign with six maximum pointers which will make it tougher for bottom placed McCrea Scanners Counties this weekend despite the Kaiwhaiki team claiming a first 2021 scalp a week ago — 16-14 way against Ruapehu.
Harvey Round Motors Ratana, the reigning champions, host eighth equal Marist Buffalos; fourth placed Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau meets Speirs Food Marton who played well for an inaugural win for the year last weekend (31-16 v Buffalos); while Black Bull Liquor Pirates badly require an away win over Ruapehu to bounce back from a 69-7 hammering at Ratana.
Following a string of four successive losses, Utiku OB need a home win over second to bottom Border.