Whanganui premier club rugby: Border not treating Ruapehu as 'an afterthought'

Halfback Lindsay Horrocks is back for Border this weekend but he'll be coming off the bench with Tyrone Albert keeping the starting berth after doing a sterling job. Photo / Lewis Gardner

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You can be 4-0 with maximum bonus points, have a positive points differential well north of 100, and still feel you haven't reached perfection.

After definitive victories over their fellow top three teams at home on Dallison Park in the past fortnight, Waverley Harvesting Border go back on the road to a likely quite chilly Rochfort Park on Saturday to face a hurting McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu.

Looking to lock away the first season trophy – the Paul Mitchell Cup for leading the table after the first round – Border have also maintained their iron-grip on the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield, leaving the very real prospect they will claim the "triple crown" by retaining the Rosebowl Trophy in the final on July 17.

But that is still far away and Border coach Cole Baldwin can always find work-ons for his finely balanced squad, refusing to treat a rebuilding Ruapehu as an afterthought.

"We don't take anyone for granted, a lot of people think we do. They'll be tough.

"We're always trying to be better around the breakdown, that's going to be our point of difference this year – producing quick ball for our faster backs."

The squad is dealing with a couple of minor injuries, but having the luxury of former Steelform Whanganui representatives on the bench means the engine just keeps humming with interchangeable parts.

"There's always another man that can do the job."

To that end, Whanganui halfback Lindsay Horrocks does not get his No 9 jersey back by right after serving his two-week suspension, as Tyrone Albert keeps the starting berth for his sterling service in the wins over Byford's Readimix Taihape and Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau.

"It'd be a kick in the guts to put him back on the bench. He gets another opportunity," said Baldwin.

"Lindsay will come on at some stage and make an impact."

Border's game plan will be obvious – get the ball to winger Vereniki Tikoisolomone, who is averaging two tries per game.

Ruapehu coach Kim McNaught would love to have the depth of quality available that Border possess, after his team's "fight for fourth" took a big hit in the 26-21 loss to Settler's Honey Ngamatapouri up the Waitotara Valley.

The Ohakune team had a season goal of sweeping their games with fellow bottom three sides Ngamatapouri and Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist, and perhaps pinching a match off one of the big teams in the second round.

"We have to [beat Ngamatapouri next time], got no excuses," McNaught said.

"You can't expect to win up there with 19 and no back reserves.

"They had too much firepower out wide. We were going good for 75 minutes, then we just ran out of gas."

The side lost try scorer and veteran back Corey Carmichael with a snapped finger, to add to other rib and knee injuries in the backs and forwards respectively.

"We'll be good, a few walking wounded."

The one area of the game where Ruapehu can keep some parity with their vaunted opponents is in the engine room, with Whanganui forwards Gabriel Hakaraia, Campbell Hart and Jamie Hughes needing big games.

"If we can match them in the forwards and starve them of some possession, we might be in with a chance," said McNaught.

"They're probably one of the best structured teams going around, especially with Lindsay back and Chock [Craig Clare] driving them around."

The table should be a lot clearer after the other Premier games as Taihape and Kaierau, very likely the No 2 v No 3 semifinal, will meet at Memorial Park, while Ngamatapouri will be eager to make a push on overtaking Ruapehu when they meet a Marist outfit who simply must win at Spriggens Park.

Kickoffs are 2.30pm.