It is the fourth time that Border has won the shield with the previous successes being last year, in 2017 and in 2014.
Kaierau holds the record of six reigns during the new millennium (2002-04-05-06-10-11) ahead of Border four, Ratana (2000-01-03) and Ruapehu (2013-15-16) on three each, Marist (2008-09) twice and Taihape (2018) and Black Bull Liquor Pirates (2012) once each.
There was no award in 2007 after Kaierau and Ruapehu were disqualified from the play-offs.
Harvey Round Motors Ratana seniors, the only unbeaten Wanganui club side this winter, lifted the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield 48-17 off Utiku OB and repelled eight challenges to win the trophy for the first time.
Utiku had lifted the shield 20-10 off neighbours Bennett's Taihape on opening day but was beaten by 31 points a week later at Ratana Pa.
Ratana has disposed of Taihape 39-15 (away), Kelso Hunterville also 39-15 (away), Counties 31-10 (home), Pirates 31-10 (away), Ali Arc Logistics-DNA Kennels Marist Celtic 21-16, Border 67-9 and Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau 30-10 (all at home) and Marist Buffalo's 48-8 (away).
Hunterville was the dominant force in the senior grade between 2008 and 2015, winning the Challenge Shield in all of those eight years.
Since then Ngamatapouri (2016), Marton (2017), Counties (2018), Taihape (2019) and now Ratana (2020) have added their names to the trophy.
Border Metro Champs
Border has lifted the Takarangi Cup off Kaierau, finishing the Metropolitan domestic competition three points clear in the four-team home and away series.
The title was clinched when injury-struck Ngamatapouri defaulted to Border in a home final qualifying round match in the Tasman Tanning sponsored 2020 union-wide premier championship.
Border, who finished with 26 points to Kaierau's 23, lost only one of eight Metro fixtures – 19-12 at the Devon Road Country Club on the second week of the competition.
Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist finished a distant third on 6 points, 1 point clear of Ngamatapouri thanks to a 28-5 home win over the Waitotara Valley side after losing 21-16 away at the start of the season.
Border won the title in 2013-16-18 and in 1979-80-81-94-95 as Waverley before switching to the Taranaki union.
The side beat Kaierau 32-18 at Dallison Park to avenge the first round away loss, beat Marist 49-19 (home) and 44-10 (on Spriggens Park) and Ngamatapouri 90-0 (home) and by default.
In addition to a win and a loss to Border Kaierau beat Marist 54-0 (home) and 17-7 and Ngamat 69-12 (away) and 60-12.
Since union-wide competitions started in 1978 Kaierau has won the trophy 15 times, Border-Waverley10, Marist eight, Pirates six, Wanganui HSOB three and Tech COB in 1998 with Kaierau and Marist sharing the cup in 1993.
The longest winning sequence was five years in a row (2003-07) by Kaierau.
The trophy was named after locally-born Ariki Marehua (Alex) Takarangi, captain of the original NZ Maori side to Australia in 1910 and also skipper in 1911 and 1913 and North Island fullback in 1904.
The versatile Kaierau all-rounder, born in 1876, repped for Wanganui 67 times between 1898 and 1915 as a three-quarter, fullback and forward and also played for Hawke's Bay while still at Te Aute College and for Manawatu.
He went to London in 1902 as a member of the NZ Coronation Contingent, was awarded an MBE, and died in Wanganui in 1960.
Kaierau Top Club
Kaierau has won the Weekes Cup, as the Wanganui overall champion club, for the first time in 15 years and for the 23rd occasion.
Marist, original winners of the trophy in 1928, has won the cup a record 25 times, most recently in 2018.
The cup is decided by championship points gained by club teams in qualifying rounds of the various afternoon grades which have comprised the premier and senior competitions for more that a quarter of a century.
Prior to that teams down as far as fifth grade qualified. Only one team per grade counted.
Tech COB, who last played in the 2015 senior grade, holds the record of five successive Weekes Cup (1962-57) titles with Marist winning four times in a row four times (1975-78, 1986-89, 1991-94 and 1998-2001).
The cup has been won by Marist 25 times, Kaierau 23, Tech 17, Pirates and Ruapehu seven times each, Border (Waverley) three and Wanganui-Counties (1990), Ratana (1936) and Taihape (last year) once each.
Last season Taihape 97 pts headed off Kaierau 82 and Marist 65 and this year Kaierau finished third in both the premier and senior championships to aggregate 72 points during a very reduced competition because of the Covid-19 restrictions.
Marist, thanks to Celtic scoring 45 pts in qualifying second to unbeaten Ratana in the senior grade, was second with 66 pts, Taihape third on 57 and Border on 55 with 45 of them from the top qualifying premiers.
Ninth Default
When Ngamatapouri defaulted to Border recently it was the ninth local premier grade default in the past 10 years.
Ngamatapouri, Utiku OB and Ratana have each defaulted twice and Kaierau, Counties and Marist once each.
The defaults have been –
2020 – Ngamatapouri home to Border.
2019 – Ratana away to Border.
2018 – Ngamatapouri home to Pirates.
2016 – Ratana away to Marron.
2015 – Kaierau away to Utiku OB.
2014 – Ratana away to Marton.
2012 – Marist away to Taihape and Utiku OB away to Ratana.
2011 – Counties away to Utiku B.
Seruwalu Tops MVP
Thrustful Ngamatapouri three-quarter Timoci (Jim) Seruwalu has won the Grand Irish Bar Wanganui premier MVP award for the season.
The dangerous Fijian raider, who won a Meads Cup title with Wanganui in 2017 and a Meads Cup silver medals (2018) and Lochore Cup title (last year) as a loan player with Horowhenua-Kapiti, headed off this year's MVP honour by a single point from Taihape rep utility back Tyler Rogers-Holden.
The leading 11 players were – Seruwalu 17 pts, Rogers-Holden 16, Brad Graham (Marist) and Gabriel Hakaraia (Ruapehu) 14, Campbell Hart (Ruapehu) and Kamipeli Latu (Border) 13. Ethan Robinson (Kaierau), and Samu Kubunavanua (Ngamatapouri) 12, Lindsay Horrocks (Border) 11 and Craig Clare (Border 10).
A total of 74 players received points during the 10 qualifying rounds for the premier championship.
Previous winners of the MVP awards include –
2019 Jamie Hughes (Ruapehu) 1, Campbell Hart (Ruapehu) 2.
2018 Cameron Davies (Kaierau) and Shade Tuaine-Whanau (Ratana) 1 equal.
2017 Dane Whale (Taihape) 1, Dale Akuhata (Ratana) 2.
2016 Ryan Gill (Marist) 1, Nick Harding (Border) and Troy Brown (Ruapehu) 2 equal.
2015 Denning Tyrell (Pirates) and Kieran Hussey (Border) 1 equal.
2014 Lindsay Horrocks (Border) and William Short (Ruapehu) 1 equal.
2013 Lasa Ulukuta (Pirates). 2012 Ace Malo (Kaierau) and Roman Tutauha (Ruapehu) 1 equal. 2011 Darren Munro (Kaierau). 2010 Lasa Ulukuta (Kaierau). 2009 Denning Tyrell (Kaierau) and Greg Charlton (Marist) 1 equal. 2008 Leon Mason (Ratana) and Ron Katonivere (Marist) 1 equal. 2007 Denning Tyrell (Kaierau)..2006 Ateria Ateria (Kaierau). 2005 Leon Mason (Ratana). 2004 Denning Tyrell (Kaierau) and Charlie Mete (Ratana) 1 equal. 2003 J J Walker (Utiku OB), 2002 Sunia Sevu (Marist) and Charlie Mete (Ratana) 1 equal.
Note – From 2014 there have been two MVP awards – winner and runner-up.
