Flaws and Paringatai might have lost half a yard of pace, but none of their guile and timing with ball in hand, and with speedsters outside them like fullback Tyler Rogers-Holden, Tiari Mumby and Tyrese Payne to work with, the writing was on the wall.
Having lost a couple of backs to injury and not having the same level of physicality in the pack, Marist just could not get a read on Taihape's patterns – because they kept running the same play – with three on two overlaps on the second phases becoming commonplace.
Paringati walked off gingerly at halftime but at 55-7 his job was done, and even when coach Tom Wells subbed several other key men early in the second stanza, including try-scoring forwards Matt Brown and Dylan Gallien, Taihape wouldn't let the foot off the throat.
Marist, to their credit, didn't quit trying – centre Josaia Bogileka desperate to spark something out wide, while hooker Jack Yarrall was his side's main attacking threat, reserve prop Shade Tuaine-Whanau made some hard carries in the final quarter, and former NZ Marist Colts halfback Rory Gudsell was a welcome returnee.
But Taihape lifted another gear as flankers Walker and Regan Collier found the line, and reserve midfielder Tim Goodwin impressed, but by then Marist were all at sea out wide.
"We might have caught a little backlash from that [Border loss], but to be really honest, we didn't play nowhere near where we needed to play either," said Marist coach Travers Hopkins.
"I think while Taihape were solid today, they just did really basic rugby, had a little bit more intensity and a little bit more eagerness to fight for those 50-50s."
"We can train fitness and skill, but attitude and heart – that's a player's contribution to the team.
"While the score's not reflecting it, we're actually not that far off where we need to be, I know that's a bit of a big claim to make.
"Just some small tweaks they need to be able to make, mentally. I don't think we worked anywhere near as hard enough as we needed today.
"Our D was pretty lazy at times, and if you're not going to do at least your part of that thing as a team, expect a long day in Taihape."
Wells was pleased to see his words had sunk in after a week of honest reflection.
"We had to lift after last week, we talked about it before the game, we really needed to stamp our mark about what the team is all about this year, and today was going to be the day that we did it.
"That performance was pretty impressive from us."
With around 150 club caps each, Wells was proud that Flaws and Paringatai could slot straight back in outside Dane Whale without missing a step.
"They were fantastic weren't they? Right across the board everyone played their best game today."
Taihape 81 (B Whale 2, D Gallien 2, B Walker 2, M Brown, T Rogers-Holden, T Mumby, J Flaws, J Barrett, R Collier, I Roth tries; D Whale 8 con) Marist 14 (V Tofa, B Graham tries; A Coates 2 con). HT: 55-7.
