Home semifinal a strong motivator TALKING RUGBY

• Author: RUGBY John Phillips
• Published date: 24 May 2023
• Publication title: Whanganui Midweek

Judging by last Saturday’s convincing 31-7 demolition of the Kaiwhakas at the Devon Road Country Club, Waverley Harvesting Border are on track for a Dallison Park semifinal

To avoid a possible away cut-throat encounter with titleholders Border, second-placed Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau and third-positioned Byford’s Readimix Taihape would dearly love victory this weekend.

There is only a point between them after five of eight qualifying fixtures, although the key return Taihape-Border fixture looms large at Memorial Park on June 10.

Kaierau and Taihape were heading for a 12-12 draw on April 22 until Dane Whale landed a match-winning penalty goal in the dying seconds of a very even first-round match for the clutch 15-12 victory.

Kaierau are ahead of Taihape by 15 points to 14 on the table, which Border lead on 19.

The two clubs have beaten one another on each of the past four seasons — Taihape winning 17-11 at the Country Club in 2019 and losing 17-16 at home, winning 6-5 and 18-13 in a semifinal in two 2020 trips to the city but losing 22-12 at home, winning 32-8 at home and 24-3 away in 2021 but losing 16-5 in a Memorial Park semi, and last year winning 41-18 and 54-3 (semis) at home and losing 20-17 in a Challenge Shield fixture at the Country Club.

Taihape, as expected, proved too strong for winless McCarthy Transport Ruapehu last weekend, scoring seven tries in a 41-7 victory to wrap up the Northern Whanganui sub-union domestic title.

Kaierau, winners of the championship first-round Paul Mitchell Cup and Barracks Bar $500 voucher, have scored 139 points and conceded 95 in five games this season for an average match score of 28-19.

Border’s record is 130 for and 69 against (average 26-14) and Taihape 118 for and 65 conceded (average 24-13).

Fourth-placed Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist, off to Waverley on Saturday, have played one game fewer, scoring 85 and conceding 91 (average score 21-23), and Ruapehu, who have the bye this weekend, have an average score of 16-47 (82 for and 234 against).

Although Marist played better than the 24-15 first-round score at Spriggens Park would indicate, the city-siders will find Border a lot harder to beat at Dallison Park.

Kaierau pushed Marist around in a 43-5 one-way fixture and Border did the same to Kaierau a week later.

Border have only dropped five of 25 matches against Marist since 2011 with the greens victorious only once at Dallison Park — 27-25 to lift the Challenge Shield in 2019 — with Border winning the return...