After a welcome Queen's Birthday weekend respite from action, Whanganui's 16 premier and senior rugby teams return this weekend for the start of the final four rounds of qualifying play in the 2022 Tasman Tanning club championships.
The first six rounds have been a real mixture of success for a sprinkling of teams and a struggle for others in a bid to stave off Covid stand-downs and player injuries.
For Taihape it has been a tremendous start by the unbeaten Byford's Readimix premiers who cleaned up the first round Paul Mitchell Memorial Cup series and in the process repelled five challenges for the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield.
Boosted by the acquisition of four strong rep forwards from the in-recess Ruapehu premiers, coach Tom Wells has moulded together a well-balanced squad that will be very hard to contain.
The record 77-7 thrashing of defending champions Waverley Harvesting Border was the stand-out performance from a squad that has averaged a winning score of 44-15, scoring 33 tries and sitting on a 12 championship point lead.
The strength of Taihape, especially in the forwards, is clearly reflected by Steelform Wanganui rep selectors Jason Hamlin and Marty McGrath, including 17 from the club in the first training squad of the year.
By comparison, the Border premiers, under coach Cole Baldwin, are currently trying to recover from the club's worst start since returning from Taranaki in 2011.
The aim was to join Ohakune (1984-86) and Ratana (2001-03) as hat-trick winners of the union-wide championship, which started 45 years ago, but Border has lost its last three matches in a row — 0-17 at home to neighbours Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri and away to both Taihape (by 70 points) and 24-27 to Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau, a team it beat 38-22 on opening day.
Border still has the opportunity to recover but it is a tough road ahead — hosting improving Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist this weekend, up Waitotara Valley to try and avenge a first championship loss to Ngamatapouri, and then unbeaten Taihape visits Dallison Park on June 25.
Unless there are any surprises over the coming month it appears Taihape will be facing either Marist or Kaierau in the July 9 semifinals and the other sudden-death semi an all-South Taranaki affair.
There are key fixtures on Saturday week (June 18) when Marist host Kaierau and Border travel to tackle Ngamat.
Marist has tamed the Kaiwakas in the past two encounters — 22-21 (2021) and 41-10 (last month) — both times at the Country Club with the last home success for the greens 29-28 in 2019.
The result of this month's match will almost certainly decide which of the two city-based premier teams qualifies for the play-offs.
Taihape still remembers last season when Ethan Robinson scored all 16 points in Kaierau's 16-5 complete surprise upset semi success to avenge two qualifying round losses.
Border will also have reflections when they tackle Ngamat who has enjoyed double success this year, in a pre-season fixture and in the first competition round.
The other key game is this weekend's return Taihape v Ngamatapouri match, especially after Taihape struggled to win 26-19 in the first round.
Two penalty goals from Dane Whale gave the visitors a very close victory but this time Ngamat does the travelling and has not won in trips north, losing 53-24 in 2017, 47-10 in 2018 87-14 in 2019, 77-17 in 2020 and by default last season.
Although Border beat Marist 29-10 last month the club has lost four times on Spriggens Park, the venue for Saturday's game, and the hosts are coming off away wins over Kaierau (41-10) and Ngamat (23-17).
Premier statistics
Whanganui premier club statistics after five of eight qualifying fixtures (four for Ngamatapouri who has had a second round bye) —
Championship points — Taihape 24, Border 12, Ngamat 11, Marist 9, Kaierau 6.
Match points — For: Taihape 220, Kaierau 118, Ngamat and Marist 107, Border 98. Against: Taihape 77, Ngamat 89, Marist 133, Border 150, Kaierau 201. Differential — Taihape 143, Ngamat 18, Marist -26, Border -52, Kaierau -83.
Average match scores — Taihape 44-15, Ngamat 27-22, Marist 21-27, Kaierau 24-40, Border 20-30.
Most points in a match — 77 Taihape v Border, 57 Ngamat v Kaierau, 41 Kaierau v Ngamat, Taihape v Kaierau and Marist v Kaierau.
Individual Points — 58 Dane Whale (Taihape), 38 Craig Clare (Border), 37 Ethan Robinson (Kaierau), 36 Rangi Kui (Marist), 25 Tyler Rogers-Holden and Tiari Mumby (Taihape), 21 Peneli Malanicagi (Ngamat), 20 Roman Tutauha (Taihape).
Most team tries — For Taihape 33, Ngamat and Kaierau 17, Border and Marist 14. Conceded — Ngamat and Taihape 12, Marist 21, Border 22, Kaierau 28.
Individual tries — 5 Tyler Rogers-Holden and Tiari Mumby, 4 Roman Tutauha, 3 Gabriel Hakaraia (Taihape), Josaia Bogileka, Epeli Delasau and Peneli Malanicagi (Ngamat), Jack O'Leary and Ioane Hough-Aki (Marist).
Most team tries in a match — 12 Taihape v Border, 9 Ngamat v Kaierau, 6 Kaierau v Ngamat, Taihape v Kaierau, Taihape v Marist (twice), 5 Marist v Kaierau, Border v Marist.
Draw for remaining qualifying fixtures (Home teams first) —
June 11 — Border v Marist, Taihape v Ngamat, Kaierau bye.
June 18 — Ngamat v Border, Marist v Kaierau, Taihape bye
June 25 — Border v Taihape, Ngamat v Kaierau, Marist bye.
July 2 — Marist v Ngamat, Kaierau v Taihape, Border bye.
Senior scene
In contrast to Taihape's domination in the premiers, the six-team senior championship grade is wide open.
Rural clubs have dominated the senior title since 2009 with Hunterville (eight times), Ruapehu (2015), Ngamatapouri (2016), Marton (2017), Taihape (2019) and Ratana (2020) the champions.
Hunterville and Taihape missed qualifying this season but Ratana, Ruapehu and unbeaten Marton are all realistic title contenders.
Carrying the city hopes are Ali Arc Logistics-TD Brick and Blocks Marist Celtic, Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau and Black Bull Liquor Pirates.
Kelso Marton is the only unbeaten team although held to three draws but still managing to defend the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield.
Marton and Ratana agreed on a scoreless draw during the Country Group qualifying series because of a major funeral at the Pa and their championship round meeting at Marton Park on June 25 will provide a good possible title hope indicator.
After drawing and losing by only three points in two matches against Marton, McCarthy Transport Ruapehu cannot be left out of title contention.
Kaierau claimed the City Group honours, including 40-10 v Celtic and 26-22 v Pirates, but lost an unbeaten record when visiting Ratana won 28-10 in the opening championship round.
Kaierau, however, was reduced to 14 players for most of the game against Ratana who is now under new coach Corey Mason.
Celtic, runners-up to Hunterville in 2011 (32-7) and 2018 (23-10) and to Ratana in 2020 (29-20), impressed in beating Pirates 53-27 in the first round of the championship.
Pirates celebrate the club's 125th reunion at Labour weekend.
The current senior average match scores for 2022 are —
Championship Group — Pirates 46-29, Celtic 42-18, Kaierau 28-21, 25-20, Ratana 21-12, Ruapehu 20-16.
Consolation Group — Counties 28-26, Hunterville 21-27, Utiku OB 18-28, Taihape 16-15, Buffalos 12-48,
Senior up-coming draw (Home teams first) —
Championship —
June 11 — Marton v Kaierau, Pirates v Ruapehu, Ratana v Celtic.
June 18 — Kaierau v Pirates, Celtic v Ruapehu, Marton v Ratana.
June 25 — Ratana v Pirates, Ruapehu v Kaierau, Marton v Celtic.
July 2 — Celtic v Kaierau, Ruapehu v Ratana, Pirates v Marton
Consolation —
June 11 — Utiku OB v Buffalos, Hunterville v Counties, Taihape bye.
June 18 — Utiku OB v Taihape, Buffalos v Hunterville, Counties bye.
June 25 — Taihape v Counties, Hunterville v Utiku OB, Buffalos bye.
July 2 — Counties v Utiku OB, Buffalos v Taihape, Hunterville bye.