They were pushed to the limit and their bench resembled a casualty ward, but the incredible cache of resources Ruapehu has on tap pulled them over the line at Waverley on Saturday.
Likely to be their hardest challenge this year, and that could include the Premier final, Ruapehu are set to hang onto the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield for the first time come a season's finish while Border must be wondering what more they can do to topple the juggernaut after a 15-point burst through the second half saw the visitors climb from 7-15 down to a 25-22 victory.
Ruapehu were without standout No8 Jason Hughes and were pummeled by some ferocious Border tackling throughout the first half, which saw three players hobble off with injury.
Being the first team in 2013 to lead Ruapehu at halftime, Border were putting in a committed effort at home with lock Sam Madams stealing lineouts and making some bruising hits.
Hooker Cole Baldwin contested everything while first-five Mark Davis, second-five Andy Hamilton and fullback Fraser Hamilton also defended stoutly.
Given a halftime rev up, any thoughts that Ruapehu might finally melt when put under the blowtorch were cast aside as lock Nick Cranston and reserve forwards Sonny Woodmass and Brad Scarrow stepped up to the mark.
After being held fast by Madams in the first half, Cranston had an outstanding second stanza - dominating the lineout, powering his way over for a try and setting the platform for what proved the matchwinner by wing Logan Vaughan.
It there was any downer on the high quality, physical affair, it was some heavy handedness with the whistle by Gordon Ririnui, including the sinbinning of Border wing Aaron Vadiga and Ruapehu second-five Peihira Huwyler for the professional foul of knocking the ball down.
One wonders if players could become fearful of even attempting intercepts if the penalty for failure is so steep - Ruapehu coach Chris Winter pointing out that interception could have at least been construed as Huwyler's intention.
"It's just on how they referee it."
His Border counterpart Peter Richardson was likewise unimpressed, even though Ririnui was consistent in his calls. "Okay, penalise them, but ten minutes for something pathetic like that?"
Elsewhere, Winter praised his bench for crucially helping lift the team to another gear in the second half, when Ruapehu's rolling mauls ground down a Border pack that only 20 minutes before had been blasting them off their feet.
"[Border] really defended well that first 40 minutes.
"It's good to have the depth. That's what we ask from them, that they add a bit of energy to it."
Border, who did everything right for so much of the match, looked like boxers who had punched themselves out entering the fourth quarter - a window Richardson must somehow find a way to close.
"It just escaped us that middle period of the second half," he said.
It appeared business as usual 12 minutes into the game as Ruapehu took a shallow clearance and calmly adjusted from one sideline to the other - Vaughn, Huwyler and centre Tautahi Hawira combining to send wing Rob Hughes over in the corner.
But Border struck back immediately with a fortuitous try as Baldwin swooped through on Ruapehu fumbling a bomb on the 22m line and dashed away to score.
Border were flying in for the hard hits as one by one Fraser Hammond (knee), Hughes and halfback Temaire Hawira (second half, ribs) all left the field.
Davis added a penalty after 25 minutes as Border became the first team in 2013 to lead Ruapehu at halftime, despite losing Vadiga just before the break.
The roll continued four minutes into the half as Middleton followed a Kamipeli Latu burst to slip clear and feed Sailosi Naqiso, who toed ahead and won the race to the ball.
But any thoughts of the golden run ending in the Waverley mud soon went by the wayside - Hawira landing two swift penalties to close the gap.
Woodmass marshalled the pack around him and then Cranston drove straight through to give Ruapehu back the lead after 60 minutes.
The pack then rumbled forward and held their structure as they mauled right through Border's defence.
Hawira dived across but was called back for a forward pass, before yet another Cranston drive took Ruapehu back to the line and the ball was spread to Vaughn to go over in the far corner.
Huwyler's sinbinning gave Border a late chance and after repeated raids Latu spread to Vadiga who caught the ball around his bootlaces and flicked it to Naqiso to score the consolation try with time up.
McCarthy's Ruapehu 25 (Robert Hughes, Nick Cranston, Logan Vaughan tries, Tautahi Rawiri 2 pen, 2 con) bt Waverley Harvesting Border 22 (Sailosi Naqiso 2, Cole Baldwin tries, Mark Davis pen, 2 con). HT: 10-7 Border.