Locking the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield away for the summer, Ruapehu had raised their half-century before the break, ultimately scoring 13 tries and converting 11 to take all the confidence in the world into their trip to Dallison Park for this weekend's semifinal with Waverley Harvesting Border.
Second-five Troy Brown racked up a hat trick, while prop Kim McNaught and halfback William Short each grabbed a double.
The thumping summed up a horror second round for Kaierau and consigned them to bottom of the table after Harvey Round Motors Ratana continued their respectable late-season run with a comfortable 24-0 win over Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist at the Pa.
After being bottom of the table for most of the competition, Ratana coach Cornel Mason has made it clear his side are serious about fronting for the consolation playoffs with an eye to claiming that prize and finishing 2015 with something tangible.
They scored two tries in each half against Marist, with Te Tua Kemp getting a double.
Integrity Motors Pirates did enough to secure the second home semifinal berth, but not without a fight from Utiku Old Boys, who would deny them a bonus point in Pirates' 22-16 win.
Etuata Emana scored a double for the visitors, while goalkicking first-five Denning Tyrell was at his best, scoring the third try.
Tyrell's efforts gave him two precious Most Valuable Player points to pip Border's Kieran Hussey at the post and become the season MVP.
Pirates winger Clive Stowers also gained a point to finish third in the MVP standings.
In the Senior championship grade, it was everything but for both Ngamatapouri and Speirs Food Marton at the McNab Domain, with Ngamatapouri just hanging on 15-14.
The result meant Marton just missed the top four, as victory would have had them finish ahead of Marist Celtic on for-and-against, while Ngamatapouri's lack of a four-try bonus point denied them a home semifinal with Ruapehu.
Ruapehu flirted with losing second spot after they were held to a 15-15 draw by a Tech team who had nothing to lose at Spriggens Park, coming from 10 points down at halftime to lock it up.
Hunterville had no concerns, having carried the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield through an undefeated season with their 29-0 win over Celtic at Spriggens. Those two will match up again in the semifinals, while Ngamatapouri's quest to create history and make the Senior final in their first season back in competition will have to go through the long trip up to play Ruapehu.
The Senior consolation gradehas two more weekends of round-robin games.
Results, July 18
Tasman Tanning Premier, Week 16
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield - McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu 87 (Troy Brown 3, Kim McNaught 2, William Short 2, Owen King, George Williams, Andrew Evans, Roman Tutauha, Gabriel Hakaraia, David Gower tries, Zyon Hekenui 10 con, Brown con) Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 5 (Cade Robinson try). HT: 52-0.
Waverley Harvesting Border 30 (Poasa Waqanibau, Tom Symes, Kane Briscoe, Bobo Ulukuta tries, Jack Lupton con, James Forsythe con, 2 dg) PGG Wrightson/Ballance 13 (Hadlee Hay-Horton try, Luke Whale 2 pen, Taylor Transom con). HT: 7-3.
Harvey Round Motors Ratana 24 (Te Tua Kemp 2, Keanu Puki-Kaa, Pehira Huwyler tries, Caleb Maraku 2 con) Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 0. HT: 12-0.
Integrity Motors Pirates 22 (Etuata Emana 2, Denning Tyrell tries, Tyrell pen, 2 con) Utiku OB 16. (Dylan Ratana try, Ricky Alabaster 3 pen, con). HT: 8-6 .
Grand Irish Bar MVP points
At Kaierau C.C: Troy Brown (Ruapehu second five) 3, William Short (Ruapehu halfback) 2, Peter Rowe (Ruapehu flanker) 1.
At Waverley: Clinton Skedgwell (Border prop) 3, Brett Nicholls (Taihape halfback) 2, Kieran Hussey (Border flanker) 1.
At Ratana: Charlie Mete (Ratana No 8) 3, Isaac Fonotoe (Ratana prop) 2, Manu Herring (Marist prop) 1.
At Taihape: Denning Tyrell (Pirates first five) 2, Ricky Alabaster (Utiku OB first five), Clive Stowers (Pirates winger), Brett Turner (Pirates prop) and Mark Farrell (Utiku OB lock) 1 each.
Final MVP Points: Denning Tyrell (Pirates) 16, Kieran Hussey (Border) 15, Clive Stowers (Pirates) 13, Timi Teepa (Taihape) and Troy Brown (Ruapehu) 10, Michael Nabuliwaqa (Utiku OB) 9, Sam Stewart (Marist), Andrew Evans and Zyon Hekenui (Ruapehu) 8, Peter Rowe (Ruapehu) 7, S'aena Vili (Pirates), Roman Tutauha and William Short (Ruapehu), Lindsay Horrocks (Border), Brett Nicholls (Taihape) and Daniel FitzGerald (Marist) 6.
Senior, Week 17
Championship
At Spriggens Park (Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield): Kelso Hunterville 29 Marist Celtic 0. HT: 10-0.
At Spriggens Park: Tech 15 Ruapehu 15. HT: 10-0 Ruapehu.
At McNab Domain: Ngamatapouri 15 Speirs Food Marton 14. HT: 7-0.
Consolation
At Wanganui Racecourse: Sealswinslow Pirates bt Utiku OB by default.
At Kaierau Country Club: Kaierau 33 Marist Buffalo's 17. HT: 12-7 Buffalo's.
At Dallison Park: Border 22 Taihape 0. HT: 17-0.
At Ratana: Counties 24 Ratana 10. HT: 17-5.
Premier semifinals draw, July 25.
Championship (2.35pm): Border v Ruapehu, Waverley; Pirates v Taihape, Spriggens Park.
Consolation: Utiku OB v Kaierau, Taihape, 2.35pm; Marist v Ratana, Spriggens Park, 1pm.
Senior draw, July 25.
Championship, semifinals: Hunterville v Celtic, Hunterville, 2pm; Ruapehu v Ngamatapouri, Ohakune, 1pm.
Consolation, Week 18: Pirates v Counties, Racecourse 1, 1pm; Buffalo's v Ratana, Racecourse 1, 2.35pm; Kaierau v Border, Kaierau C.C, 1pm; Utiku OB v Taihape, Taihape, 1pm.