Best of rivals: Taihape and Border one more time
A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends.
- Baltasar Gracian
By Jared Smith
The rivalry that has defined the better part of a decade of WRFU Tasman Tanning Premier rugby will record yet another bruising chapter at Cooks Gardens on Saturday.
Byford’s Readimix Taihape and Waverley Harvesting Border will play their third grand final against each other in the last four years, and their fourth in the previous seven for the handful of remaining veterans in both lineups who have been involved for that length of time.
Historically, Border holds the edge 2-1, but every single game has been a thriller, one including extra time.
Polar opposites in terms of geography and demographics, the eastern boundary club Taihape have never met any other team in their finals history other than the western Border, who have a phenomenal record since 2015 of making every Premier final with the exception of 2018.
This year, with the squad and coach Tom Wells motivated by not playing in four straight years of finals after a shock 2021 semifinal upset by Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau, while being augmented by representative forwards from nearby Ruapehu, Taihape has surpassed the somewhat war-weary Border, picking up two comfortable round robin victories including their first ever win in Waverley.
However, Border still have so many proven champions, and under coach Cole Baldwin have looked to carefully manage their squad through the kind of injury and illness-riddled season which stymied Premier squads in years past, and they now stand on the threshold of history by becoming the first club in nearly 20 years to win the fabled three-peat.
Through all that pressure, Wells and Baldwin have displayed a civility not perhaps seen previously – sending each other complimentary text messages over this past week.
Perhaps when you have battled so often for so long, one cannot help but develop a deep respect.
“We’ve had our run-in’s, but like he said, both of us are trying to do the best for our clubs,” said Wells.
The coach confirmed his side came through their muddy mauling of Kaierau in the semifinal relatively unscathed – lock and captain Matt Brown came off early as a precaution, but will lead the team onto the field.
“He’s just an old battler, he’ll be right. Only 30-odd but acts like he’s 40,” said Wells.
“Everyone’s got their knocks and niggles, being a semifinal.
“But I was just on the phone to [assistant coach] Gareth Hagan, trying to work out how to get 24 guys into 22 spots without breaking too many hearts.”
Last year, it was future Taranaki and Highlanders winger Vereniki Tikoisolomone who led the Premier try-scoring charts with 23 for Border, but this season, it’s the 5m off the tryline ruck that has been owned by Taihape prop Gabriel Hakaraia, scoring 12 times.
Tyler Rogers-Holden has been the grade’s form fullback, while the Whales – Ben and Dane – will have crucial roles, one with the carries, the other with the boot.
Taihape have an embarrassment of riches alongside Ben Whale in the loose forwards with Regan Collier, Lennox Shanks and multiple time Premier player of the year Jamie Hughes all worthy starters.
Look for lock Peter-Travis Hay-Horton to lead around the fringes, being among the players gutted they did not get to run-it-back with Border in 2021 after playing all the rugby but still losing to goal-kicking in 2020’s final.
“Last year, I don’t know what the word is for it; it was such a letdown,” said Wells.
“This year it’s a different team. We’ve got the team to do it, we know that, it’s just turning up on the day.
“It’s finals, they’ll be very good, so it’s going to be tight, but we’ve everything in place.
“If we play to our straps, I’ve got 100 per cent faith in the guys.”
It is a big day for Taihape RFC all around, as Bennett’s Taihape will play the Senior Division 2 final with Kelso Hunterville at Spriggens Park, then shower and throw back a quick beer to be in the terraces for the main event.
“In times when clubs are battling away, we seem to be as strong as ever,” said Wells.
Border, on the other side, has not had the same depth that defined their previous dominant seasons, not helped by their Senior team folding halfway through the campaign.
It took all their big match experience to just hold on in the semifinal against newcomers Settler’s Honey Ngamatapouri, although Baldwin is right to point just how much their fellow South Taranaki club has grown with an influx of backline talent.
“It was a bloody good game, that Ngamat team’s improved a lot. Get their set piece right, and they’ll roll some teams.
“That first ten minutes was the best we’ve played in two years, it’s just a matter of making it go longer.
“Taihape does have the depth and they’ve been the most consistent team in the competition.
“But it all comes down to a one-off game, what happens in the past counts for nothing.”
Having won the 2017-18 titles alongside Taihape’s current Ruapehu imports, before he linked up with Border to claim two more, Craig Clare delivered under pressure against Ngamatapouri, as he and fellow general Lindsay Horrocks will be back in their element at Cooks Gardens.
Although they will have a hard day in the engine room against an all-representative Taihape pack, Border’s forwards remain worthy of respect.
Prop Hamish Mellow, lock Toby Lennox and No8 Semi Vodosese showed some great offloading skills last week, while prop Ranato Tikoisolomone, lock Jack Hodges and loose forward Kieran Hussey have been to the big dance enough times to remember all the steps.
While the team will miss their injured young blindside flanker Tobias Stark, on the openside, co-captain Angus Middleton has no problem wearing the black hat and will look to spoil Taihape’s ball every chance he gets.
Their test will come if the weather stays wet and turns the match into a muddy set piece battle, where Taihape thrive.
“There’s been no rugby on Cooks this year so [the field] may hold up, it’s going to be what it’s going to be,” said Baldwin.
“We don’t have the huge speed we had in the past, so it’s a matter of everyone doing their jobs the best they could possibly do.
“[Against Ngamatapouri] they dug deep, had to go to a dark place, and that’s how finals rugby should be.”
And if they can emerge from that dark place into the light, Border will have created history by becoming only the third club after Ohakune-Karioi (1984- 86) and Ratana (2001-03) to win a top grade WRFU three-peat.
“There’s a reason why not many teams do it, because it’s so hard to do,” said Baldwin.
“Things have been made clear to our players why.
“It’s going to be a big ask, but my players will be up for it come Saturday.”
Kickoff is 2.35pm.
Road to the Final
April 23: Border bt Kaierau 38-22; Taihape bt Marist 38-16.
April 30: Border bt Marist 29-10; Taihape bt Ngamatapouri 25-19.
May 6-7: Border lost to Ngamatapouri 14-0; Taihape bye.
May 14: Taihape bt Border 77-7.
May 21: Taihape bt Kaierau 41-18; Border bye.
May 28: Border lost to Kaierau 27-24; Taihape bt Marist 39-17.
June 11: Border bt Marist 45-14; Taihape bt Ngamatapouri 59-16.
June 18: Border bt Ngamatapouri 30-12; Taihape bye.
June 25: Taihape bt Border 51-15.
July 2: Taihape lost to Kaierau 20-17; Border bye.
July 9 (Semifinals): Taihape bt Kaierau 54-3; Border bt Ngamatapouri 26-20.
Taihape – Played: 9; Won: 8; Lost: 1; Points For: 401; Points Against: 131.
Border – Played: 9; Won: 5; Lost: 4; Points For: 214; Points Against: 247.
