Border pip Taihape to take shield

STRONG DISPLAY: Pirates lock Simon Hillis took top MVP points from the win over Ratana.190414WCSMRUGBY2

The Grand Hotel Challenge Shield has a fourth owner already in 2014 as Waverley Harvesting Border held on to pip Taihape 34-31 at Dallison Park on Good Friday.

Having lifted the shield from Harvey Round Motors Ratana the week before, while Border was losing narrowly to McCarthy's Ruapehu at home, Friday's game in Waverley was Taihape's best chance to finally claim a scalp of one of the other 2013 Tasman Tanning Premier semifinalists.

However, they handicapped their chances as the home side swooped with three tries from Taihape mistakes to lead 22-3, before the visitors recovered with two converted tries to narrow the gap to 22-17 by halftime.

Both team's scored two tries each in the second half for Border to hang onto their narrow advantage.

Halfback Lindsay Horrocks was man of the match, scoring two of his team's five tries, while Sikeli (Bobo) Ulukuta contributed 14 points from a runaway try, a penalty and three conversions.

Taihape first-five Tom Wells brought his kicking boots with a penalty and four straight conversions, as the team in red collected two bonus points to remain just outside the Top 4 on the points table.

Border winning the shield gives Ratana the opportunity to win it back when they meet in the Pa this coming Saturday.

The premiers completed a very Good Friday for their club after the Border senior team continued their unbeaten run (four wins and a draw) by upending Taihape 16-7 in the curtain raiser.

In the other games of Week 5, all played on Easter Saturday, Utiku Old Boys ended their dry run by beating Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 24-10 in Taihape, consigning the city club to the bottom of the table as the only winless team in the competition.

Utiku first-five Terangi Tapu McLeod scored 19 points from a try, conversion and four penalties at Memorial Park, while Kaierau winger Stu Brosnahan scored both his team's tries.

At Spriggens Park, Integrity Motors Pirates continued their unbeaten run with a comprehensive 41-0 hammering of Harvey Round Motors Ratana, taking the wind out of Ratana's sails after their perfect start with upsets over Ruapehu and Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist was followed by two straight losses where no points were scored.

Pirates grabbed six tries, with winger Clive Stowers scoring in his fourth straight game to take his season tally to seven while also moving to the top of the Grand Irish Bar Most Valuable Player standings.

In the Senior competition, Ruapehu ended Power Farming (PN) Hunterville's iron-clad grip on the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield with a 10-6 win at Rochfort Park.

Ruapehu seniors scored all their points in the first half and then controlled field position in the dying stages to hand Hunterville their first loss of 2014. Tech had the biggest win of the weekend with a 79-10 thumping of Ratana.