The veterans led the way – prop Ross McDonald and his front row partners laid the foundation, while flanker Renato Tikoisolomone and team player-of-the-day lock Jack Hodges took umpteenth carries to and through the line.
Even when the home side lost playmaker Tyrone Albert to a blue card for a head knock, it only strengthened their resolve to play in tight through the forwards – sticking with scrums for advantageous set pieces, given Rātana had more success counter-attacking a few lineouts.
Outside back Silio Waqalevu showed his versatility, covering first-five after Albert’s departure and adding a conversion.
With Border carrying off the breakdown, the busiest Rātana player had to be player-coach and flanker Jamie Hughes, team player-of-the-day, who produced many signature chopping tackles and aggressive cleanouts.
But unfortunately, his teammates, trying to turn the momentum, gave away a string of penalties, having two yellow cards to one for Border, plus a red to returning 2024 Steelform Whanganui outside back Mitai Hemi for a dangerous tackle.
Rātana had come back at Border with 14 men in their April matchup, and still scored two excellent tries through individual flair with a smart tap and go by halfback we’rePatea-Koro and never-give-up kick chase by winger Hawira Gardiner.
But these proved isolated moments, which Hughes acknowledged.
“A few penalties cost us today, and a few dropped balls at the end there.
“Coming into halftime, I thought we were right on track to where we needed to be – getting the wind – but Border kept the ball in the second half, so you can’t win rugby without any ball.”
It puts Rātana in a must-win situation for their only home match of the second round, when they take on Byford’s Readimix Taihape, in a match also for the Barracks Challenge Shield.
“We’ve just to roll up our sleeves and get to work now, there’s nothing else – we’ve just got to win or else we’re not going to get there,” said Hughes.
Border leapfrogged Rātana back into fourth spot, but more importantly, co-coach Cole Baldwin saw the improvement that could have his relatively new team in position to start getting over the Top 3 sides.
“Last time when we played them, and they were doing their little kicks, they were coming off, today it didn’t quite work for them.
“Our scrum kept us in the game, I think, and we managed to play on top of that.”
Baldwin acknowledged his veteran forwards’ performance.
“They are playing pretty well, and you got Jay there at No 8 that’s trying to get us some good go forward.
“It’s not just revolving around one or two people, forward-wise we’re doing some really good things, we’re just guilty of not converting our pressure into points – hopefully we can improve on that for Marist in two weeks.”
