Pirates coach Phillip 'Red' Morris had said his boys would come out to play in June and on Saturday they finally delivered on his promise at Spriggens Park.
The 39-15 victory over fellow top four team Taihape, scoring seven tries to two, vastly improves on the 20-20 draw during Round One on April 13 and cements Pirates in third spot on the ladder, with an outside chance of overtaking Border if other results go their way.
It also sets up a big clash this Saturday in Ohakune as Pirates bring some form to bear against the dominant Ruapehu having been the only side to make the competition leaders look ordinary with their 16-16 draw on April 20.
At Spriggens Park, Pirates built on their clear lead at half time, accumulated despite playing a man down due to a yellow card in the opening stanza.
Captain Lasa Ulukuta scored a double, to go with his hat-trick of tries from last week against Marist.
He now rockets clear in the season's MVP points standings, ahead of Border's mercurial fullback Fraser Middleton.
Across town at the Country Club, Ruapehu showed they will have no qualms about fronting Pirates at home after they ran in eight tries in their Grand Hotel Challenge Shield defence to dispose of Kaierau 53-12.
New Wanganui wider-squad member Zyon Hekenui scored 23 points from two tries, five conversions and a penalty.
His fellow new Wanganui squad member Tautahi Rawiri grabbed a hat-trick.
At Memorial Park, Border continued their winning ways against Utiku Old Boys, 30-14, consigning the Taihape team to the bottom of the table.
Speedy Border winger Aaron Yadiga, who has stepped up his game after his disappointment facing Ruapehu last month, scored two tries, while Middleton and Mark Davis also crossed.
In senior rugby, the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield continues its tour around the province and could well become a prize eagerly contested by the lower tier teams in the upcoming consolation group with just one round to play before the split.
Marton, who sit clear seventh, snatched the Shield from Marist at the Wanganui Racecourse, 17-15, maintaining their two-point lead from halftime.
The trophy now sits in its third clubrooms in as many weeks.
Hunterville will be the round robin winners while Border's effort in snatching the Shield from Celtic on May 25 is now a distance memory, as the home side hammered Waverley, 77-5.
The race for top four in the championship group remains tight following the split with Ruapehu, Celtic, Taihape, Counties and Pirates jammed together with just a four point spread.
On Saturday, Celtic scored 20 unanswered points in the second half to come from behind to beat Kaierau.
Results, June 15
Tasman Tanning Premier, Week 12
Integrity Motors Pirates 39 (Lasa Ulukuta 2, Clive Stowers, Josh Navitio, Junior Tume, I'a Isopo, Johnny Mow tries, Josh Marwick 2 con) bt Taihape 15 (Tremaine Gilbert, Dylan Maloney tries, Tom Wells pen, con). HT: 17-3.
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield McCarthy's Ruapehu 53 (Tautahi Rawiri 3, Zyon Hekenui 2, Shaun McDonough, George Williams, Shaun Hawira tries, Hekenui pen, 5 con) bt Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 12 (Johnny Muir try, penalty try, Rhys Wylie con). HT: 21-5.
Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 29 (Ethan Bailey 2, Scott Dowman, Sean Brown, Marek Willis tries, Brown 2 con) bt Harvey Round Motors Ratana 17 (Paora Heremaia, Marius Joseph, Mikaere Penetito tries, Alan Penetito con). HT: 17-5 Ratana.
Waverley Harvesting Border 30 (Aaron Yadiga 2, Mark Davis, Anaru Haerewa, Fraser Middleton tries, Davis pen, con) bt Utiku OB 14 (Dylan Ratana, James Maher tries, Terangi Tapu McLeod 2 con). HT: 20-0.
Bye: Marton.
Grand Irish Bar Premier MVP Points, Week 12
At Spriggens Park: Lasa Ulukuta (Pirates No 8) 3 points, Brett Turner (Pirates prop) 2, Jaye Flaws (Taihape winger) 1.
At Kaierau Country Club: Tautahi Rawiri (Ruapehu centre) 3, Nick Cranston (Ruapehu lock) 2, Andrew Evans (Ruapehu flanker) 1.
At Ratana Paa: Ross Pui (Marist hooker) 3, Isaac Fonotoe (Ratana lock) 2, Ethan Bailey (Marist fullback) 1.
At Taihape: Liam Richardson (Border flanker) 3, Jason Coffee (Utiku OB second five) 2, Fraser Middleton (Border fullback) 1.
MVP Points Leaders: Ulukuta 19, Middleton 14, Faamanu Manutuhiha (Marton) and Jason Hughes (Ruapehu) 9, Mark Davis (Border) 8, Shaun Hawira and Peter Rowe (Ruapehu), Ihaia Tai and Vaan Rauhina (Ratana) 7, Soonalote Tauailoto (Marton), Fonotoe and Junior Tume (Pirates) 6, Ace Malo (Kaierau), Travis Bartels (Marist), Denning Tyrell (Pirates), Flaws and Rimu Wipaki (Taihape) 5.
Senior championship, Week 10
At Spriggens Park: Trans Pacific Pirates bt St John's Tech 22-8. HT: 10-8.
At Racecourse (Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield): Marton bt Marist 17-15. HT: 7-5.
At Kaierau Country Club: Celtic bt Kaierau 23-13. HT: 13-3 Kaierau.
At McNab Domain, Kaiwhaiki: Counties bt Ruapehu 23-17.
At Hunterville: Power Farming (PN) Hunterville beat Border 77-5. HT: 46-6.
At Taihape: Taihape bt Utiku OB 28-15. HT: 8-0.