Taihape's Jaye Flaws was back to his best as his team found another gear in the second half of their win over Pirates at Spriggens Park on Saturday.
For the first 40 minutes, PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape played like a side still stuttering in Tasman Tanning Premier, but then in the second 40 minutes they were once again the squad which could be title contenders.
It was the quinetsential game of two halves at a chilly Spriggens Park on Saturday as Taihape scored 34 unanswered points going into the wind in the second stanza to end the two-time champion Black Bull Liquor Pirates' regular season with a wimper at 34-5.
Having been shaky in the latter half of the competition while giving up the top qualifier spot to Waverley Harvesting Border, Taihape's execution against the bigger and more imposing Pirates forwards was lacking in the opening 40 minutes, despite dominating territory with the wind at their backs.
Unable to breech Pirates line while dropping a lot of key passes from half-breaks, Taihape still cover tackled well as Pirates tried to run the back.
It appeared Premier's first scoreless half in 2016 would occur until the home side took the lead against the run of play from a lovely cut and run by fullback Tupu Tavae in the 38th minute.
Finally galvanised into action and putting their brains into gear, Taihape began to string the phases together immediately after the break with first-five Tom Wells giving the ball plenty of width to his outside runners, who now found the support players they needed.
Young lock Hamish Bennett and big centre Cyrus Paringatai had done a lot of individual work in the first half - but one-off bursts have been Pirates domain, while it's the second and third surge which gets you the tries.
No8 Tremaine Gilbert was back to his best, running up the guts and fending off tacklers, while Jaye Flaws has returned to the wing now that Luke Whale is enscounsed at second-five and looked much more threatening.
While plenty of Taihape's long passes still ended up misdirected, which was also a problem in the big win over Harvey Round Motors Ratana the previous weekend, Pirates could not stay with the tempo the visitors maintained from the 41st minute onwards.
The hosts had showed glimpses of their old form, although with Denning Tyrell nursing injury and watching from the reserve bench, they did not have the usual vision for where to direct their offence.
Discipline also let Pirates down with referee Glenn Collins sinbinning hooker Manalua Lafi after he squared up to the Taihape forwards by himself, while a couple of late tackles led to a fair bit of jersey waltzing.
Their best were big lock Mene Taufaasau with some good offloads and second-five Patrick Hiscox, until he was helped off injured.
Taihape coach Kerry Whale captured on the momentum generated in the second half with his team message afterwards in the dressing shed, as they now head into a first-ever home semifinal against Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist.
They had worn down the bigger home side and got the hit out they needed ahead of the playoffs, Whale said.
"That's exactly the type of opposition we wanted to play.
"We just a play a game where we try to get the ball nice and wide."
While Bennett may not be the tallest lock around, the teenager has been nominated for the NZ Heartland Under 19 squad and Whale is hoping the energetic youngster makes it.
"You've only got to watch him play to know his athleticism."
Pirates coach Phillip Morris is not used to guiding a team now considered by the top clubs
as just a stepping stone ahead of finals rugby.
Again, his side had done well in the first half when play was scrappy, but could not keep up and shut down their opposition in the latter stages.
"That's been the story of our season. They haven't given up, they're still trying."
Morris confirmed his team will fully commit for the consolation playoffs, as a few of them need the game time ahead of possible representative duties.
Taihape's best chances in the first half came from breaks and grubber kicks by Wells which nearly put winger Taylor Transom over in the corner.
After halftime, Transom had his chance off a long pass and got free down the far touchline, finding prop Ritchie Iorns backing up to tie the scores.
Pirates responded with some rugged tackling and pressure on Taihape's clearing kicks, but the momentum swung away in the 57th minute as Gilbert powered into a gap and threw the wide ball to Flaws, who beat one tackler and back flicked the pass inside at the corner flag for Iorns to get a double.
Straight from the kickoff, Wells combined with Gilbert to put Flaws away again, supported by flanker Todd Parkinson, and then the ball was transferred to the other sideline and despite rolling loose, Paringatai regathered and crossed over.
Another Gilbert run opened Pirates up and fullback Dane Whale pivoted off his right foot and then the left to stand-up the defenders under the posts.
Conceeding three tries in eight minutes, Pirates were gone and Taihape exploited their advantage - with another long Wells pass finding Gilbert who put Bennett away, the young lock cheekily faking grounding the ball in the corner and then popping up to sprint under the posts.
Pirates got a rare chance on attack but Dane Whale swooped in for the steal and ran right to the other end for Taihape's sixth try.
Taihape 34 (Ritchie Iorns 2, Dane Whale 2, Cyrus Paringatai, Hamish Bennett tries; Tom Wells 2 con) bt Pirates 5 (Tupu Tavae try). HT: 5-0 Pirates.