Whanganui club rugby: Rātana stage stunning comeback for draw with Border

The Rātana v Border match ended in a draw. Photo / Naiada Hika

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Nothing could hold Tāmata Hauhā Rātana down at the Pā on Saturday, after an extraordinary “game of two halves” with Waverley Harvesting Border led to a 43-43 stalemate.

Showing this Tasman Tanning Premier season could be nothing if not unpredictable, Rātana came back from 36-7 down early in the second stanza, despite being reduced to 14 men by a red card, and scored three converted tries in the final 15 minutes to stay unbeaten.

In a game with 13 tries, it was discipline that proved key as, despite playing without injured star Alekesio Vakarorogo, Border still had plenty of Fijian power on the outer fringes and throughout the first half they played the more controlled football and were able to turn their ball-runners loose.

Second five Silio Waqalevu turned a Rātana attacking fumble into an 85m try back the other way, while centre Rusiate Lalanabaravi set up tries for his wingers with brilliant offloads – reserve winger Patrick Rasomo ending up with a second-half double, the first of which was an outstanding team breakout.

Rātana had a yellow card infringement before the red, conceded a seven-point penalty try, made some handling errors and let frustration get the better of them as it looked like the scoreline was heading for a cricket total.

But instead, now running “downhill” at the Pā, Rātana found the chink in Border’s armour as athletic first five Te Atawhai Mason wreaked havoc in their backfield with chip-and-chase tactics working a treat to score a try and set up two others as the home side found another gear.

Without their veterans of the past who knew how to stifle such momentum, Border struggled and began infringing at ruck and scrum, losing two players to the sin bin themselves inside the last 10 minutes to give Rātana a 14-13 advantage.

Talented fullback Rangi Kui, who kicked five from six under pressure and missing only once when the ball fell off the tee, sliced through despairing cover to score right on fulltime and, as Kui got a little dinged up during the play, young skipper Brooklyn Herewini stepped up to coolly slot the extras, meaning both teams shared three competition points.

“I don’t want to sound cliche, but what a game of two halves pretty much,” Border co-coach Todd Cowan said.

“I think Rātana probably just managed to find their feet a little bit – in the first half they struggled a little bit and they got caught with some discipline and stuff.

“Piggy-back penalties which got us into the right half, and pretty much mirror image against us in the second half – our discipline cost us and let them get back in.

“We played the better first half and they played the better second half – I think that in all honesty, the draw was probably the fair result.”

The team that makes the miracle comeback will always feel better about a tie than the side that saw victory slip away, and Rātana coach Jamie Hughes was no exception.

“The first half was pretty hard to watch really, and just happy the way the boys stuck in and came back to get the draw.

“Once we were playing happy rugby we were a better team.”

Tāmata Hauhā Rātana 43 (B Herewini, T Mason, B Galpin, T Karaitiana, K Edwards, R Kui tries; Kui pen, 4 con, Herewini con) drew with Waverley Harvesting Border 43 (P Rasomo 2, P Waqatabu, S Waqalevu R Lalanabaravi, T Caskey tries, penalty try; T Albert 3 con). HT: 31-7 Border.