Border back among familiar rivals
Four-time defending Rosebowl Trophy holders Waverley Harvesting Border have reached the “traditionals” section of their firstround fixtures to see if they can regain the sole trophy not currently housed at Dallison Park.
Undefeated Border are clear at the top of the Tasman Tanning Points table with two games left in the round, looking to stay there to claim the Paul Mitchell Cup they surrendered to Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau last season.
There is also the Whanganui Rugby Challenge Shield for Border to defend — meaning the South Taranaki club currently has the best shot this season at becoming the first team since the fabled 2013 McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu side to win the “triple crown” — Paul Mitchell (first round leaders), Challenge Shield and Rosebowl (season champions).
After disposing of Kaierau 35-12 in Week 1, Border took on the Premier newcomers Rā tana and Marton, who just didn’t have the firepower against a squad with gritty veteran forwards and near-all representative backline, beaten 43-7 and 29-10 respectively.
That sets up a fortnight of matches against the other Premier regulars — starting tomorrow with last year’s semifinal opponents Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist, followed by the old firm rivalry with Byford’s Readimix Taihape.
A familiar duo has reunited with their roles reversed in Border’s coaching lineup, as Steelform Whanganui game centenarian and three-time Premier winning coach Cole Baldwin has come back to help his former assistant Todd Cowan, who had a great rookie year guiding Border to a record four-peat.
A major acquisition is Whanganui second five Timoci Seruwalu, who played Manawatū club rugby last year, linking up with his representative midfield partner Alekesio Vakarorogo — Seruwalu having scored three tries in as many games.
Now the regular first five, Tyrone Albert, has firepower to feed outside of him which can lead to back-toback try-scoring plays to take games away early.
Border are the only Premier team yet to pop over a three-point penalty, Albert having slotted 11 conversions already from Border’s 17 tries.
Talented loose forward Josefa Namosimalua has grown exponentially into his role — comparisons in his rookie year to
another young Fijian standout in Semi Vodosese (now playing in Hawke’s Bay) — were a somewhat unfair expectation, but by the end of the 2023 Heartland Championship Namosimalua had become a real force, continuing on this club season to score three tries so far.
Also in the loose forwards, captain Angus Middleton will continue to be a workhorse, as will halfback and another Whanganui centenarian, Lindsay Horrocks.
Hunting for their first win over Border since the first round of 2019, Marist are still looking to find their feet in the Premier with a new-look side under coaches Steelie Koro and Duane Brown.
They had not been far off in their first two away games, with a secondhalf comeback against Taihape falling just short at 24-17, while a week later the comeback did secure a 22-all draw with Marton.
But last weekend at Spriggens Park, when seemingly poised to do the same against Kaierau, Marist gave up 15 points in the final quarter to take a disappointing 40-18 loss.
“We’re sort of the opposite, our last two games, the last 20 minutes has been one that pulled us out of the hole,” Koro said.
“Learning points would be just trying to put a whole 80 minutes.”
The team will want their Heartland representative midfielder Josaia Bogileka back to counteract the dual threat of Seruwalu and Vakarorogo.