Marist will be looking to pick themselves up after a couple of heavy losses when they host Ruapehu at Spriggens Park. Photo / Getty Images
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The old east-west rivalry of Tasman Tanning Premier rugby plays out its latest chapter at Memorial Park on Saturday, as the countdown to the semifinals is well and truly under way.
With two matches remaining each, the Barracks Bar Challenge Shield holders Waverley Harvesting Border know one more victory will lock in a home semifinal while, with a run of home games to finish the regular season, Byford’s Readmix Taihape need victory for a chance to secure the other spot ahead of Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau.
Border took the Shield from Taihape on April 29 in Waverley under a unique set of circumstances – leading 14-5, the home side were absorbing a rally from Taihape with six minutes remaining, before the game had to be called off early due to a suspected serious neck injury to Border lock Logan Kingi.
It was more than an hour before Kingi could be moved, later diagnosed with concussion, but he made a full recovery, playing again for Border in their wins over Kaierau and Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist before the King’s Birthday break, then departing for Australia.
“That was obviously disappointing for us. I felt like we had momentum at that point, but safety for the young fella Kingi was paramount,” said Taihape coach Sefo Bourke.
“A little bit of unfinished business, so really making sure we can get a win to get a home semifinal.”
Taihape will look to make the long weekend break work for them ahead of their last two must-win matches against Kaierau and Marist.
“It’s been good, I thought a few of our boys carrying a few niggles, [so] just to rest those boys,” said Bourke.
“A few of our boys wanted to play [senior team] on Saturday, but only Luke [Whale] and Tre [Gilbert] who started the season with them did.
“Our Senior B coach is pretty loyal to the boys who are turning up for them.”
Taihape has seen one departure as Fijian No 8 Yaca Savuro, who played his last game for the club at second five-eighths in their Ohakune win over McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu, has taken up new employment opportunities in the Manawatu.
“It was an experiment that worked away for that game,” said Bourke, who needed cover for absent outside backs.
However, in better news, Tim Goodwin is recovered from his shoulder injury and fighting fit to slot in out wide.
“We felt like he had a really good game last time out in Waverley.”
Word out of the Border camp is they are still working through a couple of injury issues, and won’t have quite the same lineup as fronted in their last win over Marist.
Still, Bourke was not game to say the result of this year’s fixture at Memorial Park will be the same as 2022, when a visiting team full of walking wounded got blasted in the second half by a reinforced Taihape squad, losing 77-7.
“Last year, I know during the season they had a few injuries and guys coming back at that stage,” said Bourke.
“But it’s kind of two different teams this year, and it seems like they’ve gone back to the old Border ways – it will be a massive challenge for us.”
Border coach Todd Cowan was taking the pragmatic approach to the long bus ride to the other side of the catchment.
“We still trained over the break – only training once a week, there are still things to go over.
“We’re getting there – still a couple of niggles, couple of guys out this weekend, but we’re used to playing with what we’ve got.
“It’s always a tough task to play Taihape over there – last couple of seasons we’ve gone there and haven’t played as well as we should have.
“Having Ben Whale [back] is huge for them, and having him will definitely help them.”
Whale, the Steelform Whanganui incumbent, had yet to return from England’s Tunbridge Wells before the previous game with Border.
With changes in the Border forward pack, Whanganui rep Ranato Tikoisolomone is likely to be back in the front row and Emmanuelle Wineera’s promotion to the starting lineup allowed him to play at flanker for the first time in several seasons against Marist.
In the loose forwards, No 8 Josefa Namosimalua has been a real find, his hard-running style a perfect match for the veterans alongside him in flanker Angus Middleton, halfback Lindsay Horrocks and first five-eighths Craig Clare – the architects of Border’s Premier title three-peat.
“We’re just letting him find his own game, and he’s getting his confidence every weekend,” said Cowan of Namosimalua.
“He’s an exciting prospect for the next couple of years.”
In the other Premier game, Marist will be looking to pick themselves up after a couple of heavy losses when they host Ruapehu at Spriggens Park.
Premier Draw (2.35pm kickoff):
Challenge Shield: Taihape v Border, Memorial Park
Marist v Ruapehu, Spriggens Park
Kaierau the bye