Whanganui club rugby: Marist stun Border with first win since 2019

It was Marist's first win since 2019 over the five-time defending champions. Photo / Bevan Conley

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A win six years in the making was the story of the Tasman Tanning Premier match at Spriggens Park as Dave Hoskin Marist were able to somehow hold off Waverley Harvesting Border 26-24 on Saturday.

Securing their first win over the five-time defending champions since 2019, it was desperate defence around the ruck and on the far width of the park, coupled with a nerveless kicking display from halves Wiremu Morgan and Daniel Kaukia, that saw Marist break the recent Premier trend of the team coming from behind finishing over the top.

Skipper Ben O’Leary wrapped up every strong runner that came his way, even when they knocked him back, especially dangermen Ekenasio Fiso and Jay Tora, while Marist prop Finley Brown had an impressive first half.

Having played good percentage rugby while also swooping on any loose ball to clear Border’s defensive line for tries by veteran winger C.J. Stowers and promising flanker Rongomai Mclean-Wanoa, the home side led 20-0 approaching halftime, but lost both crucial loose forwards Brett Joyes and Samu Kubunavanua to the sin bin.

Facing 13 men, Border found gaps and scored before the break and then back-to-back shortly afterwards through their Fijian powerhouses, winger Silio Waqalevu and impressive second five Romu Senileba, as well as a nifty sneak from a 15m ruck play for first five Tyrone Albert.

Now unable to break Border’s defence with 20 minutes remaining and a slender one-point lead, Marist kept their composure and worked back into position for two more successful penalties – a buffer they would sorely need as the visitors charged right back for centre Alekesio Vakarorogo to set up another try on the wing from reserve Hayden Watling.

But in an ironic twist, Border suffered a sin-binning of their own, losing Albert with only eight minutes left as they slowly worked their way up from deep in their own half – receiving two kickable penalties right in front but now without a specialist to perform the role.

The first saw them attempt a quick tap, which Marist stopped but conceded a high tackle penalty and then, as the senior player on the field, Vakarorogo took it on his shoulders from the 22m to try to land his first-ever kick for the club, but pushed it to the right on fulltime.

Marist coach Steelie Koro’s thoughts were for the club’s players who had been through so many of the 13-11 losses to Border, including two semifinals, since 2019.

“The ones that really stuck in the club for those hard years and now they’ve got a win over them today.

“I’m happy, but they’re ecstatic. It builds some resiliency in the team and that’s what it’s done – giving them the hope that they can rub shoulders with this top four.

“We were lucky their kicker was under the sticks, and I’m sure Aleki would be hoping to do that kick again, but that’s how rugby is and we’ll take the win and keep building from this.”

In the very unfamiliar position of being winless with one game remaining in the first round, Border co-coach Cole Baldwin knows the puzzle has not yet come together.

“We’re not making it easy for ourselves, obviously doing some poor things that are really hurting us,” Baldwin said.

“Defensively, I thought we weren’t too bad – they scored their points off mistakes from a bit of our attack – but we need to start getting better.

“A lot of stuff we’re trying to do, we’ve been training to do, we’re not doing on the field – that’s something we need to rectify going into next week with Taihape."