The club has staged eight semis since 2002, the most recent being a 36-17 win over McCarthy Transport Ruapehu in 2011 only to lose 17-15 to Ratana in the final.
The Border-Kaierau clash will determine the winners of the Metropolitan domestic title which Border holds.
Ruapehu, who scrambled into the semis last year, again has a battle on its hands to reach the Top 4. It hosts Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri and is away to Marist in return games after beating the city side 29-22 and losing to Ngamat 21-26 in two tight first rounders.
If the "Mountain Men", who have won six titles and been runners-up thrice since 2008, qualify for the play-offs it will be a remarkable 14 years in a row they have contested the semifinals including 10 on home fields.
Marist, the 2000-07-08 champions, host Ruapehu and bus up the Waitotara Valley to tangle with Ngamat on the last qualifying Saturday.
The bottom three teams have some very interesting duels as they aim for the right to probably travel to Waverley in the semis.
Rangitikei again?
With Kelso Hunterville and Harvey Round Motors Ratana in such good form, there is every chance that Rangitikei could pick up an 11th Whanganui senior club championship title this season.
Over the past 13 years Hunterville has won the crown eight times, including six in a row between 2009 and 2014, Speirs Food Marton beat Hunterville in the 2027 final and Ratana was unbeaten last season.
Only Marist in 2008, Ruapehu in 2015, Ngamatapouri in 2016 and Taihape in 2019 have won the grade during the Rangitikei dominated reign.
After seven of 11 qualifying rounds this year Hunterville is top with a clean record and second placed Ratana has dropped one match – losing by default away against Ruapehu for playing an unregistered player.
Ratana had recorded an easy 47-22 victory but blatantly disregarded a WRFU ruling not to play a Horowhenua-Kapiti registered rep player and as a result lost the five points and the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield.
The June 19 Ratana v Hunterville clash at Ratana will draw a huge crowd.
2020 runners-up Ali Arc Logistics-DNA Kennels Marist Celtic, despite losing the Challenge Shield 27-17 away to Bennett's Taihape, last Saturday, third-placed Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau, Taihape and possibly Utiku OB and unpredictable Black Bull Liquor Pirates are other semifinal contenders.
New Challenge Shield holders Taihape have home defences against Utiku OB and Pirates and travel to play Ruapehu and Border.
Kaierau tops averages
The 2005 Kaierau squad boasted a remarkably high record 66-9 winning average score from seven victories in the first round Paul Mitchell Cup premier club competition.
The only other plus-50 first round average winning score during the new millennium is 50-8 by Ruapehu in 2010, also winning all seven matches in the Tasman Tanning combined championship
Kaierau scored 461 points in the 2005 first round, beating Utiku OB 77-10, Marist 69-5 and Ruapehu 31-19 at home and Ratana 95-0, Speirs Food Marton 82-5, Pirates 54-12 and Taihape 53-10 away.
The Maroons won all 14 fixtures in the full season with Ace Malo scoring 160 points and Pati Fetuia 27 tries (135 pts).
Five years later Ruapehu whipped Marton 116-0 away to aggregate 353 points in the first round but was later beaten 14-8 away by eventual champions Marist in the semifinals.
Leading Ruapehu points scorers that year were Robert Hughes with 72 points (including 14 tries) and Chris Winter on 70.
Lowest Mitchell Cup average score was 21-12 by Pirates with six wins and a draw in 2018.
This season first round champions Border has averaged 42-13 over the five matches with the highest victory 54-14 over neighbours Ngamatapouri in a Friday night match on duck shooting opening weekend.
Last winter Kaierau's average winning score from five matches (four wins and a draw) was 36-9.
Because the number of competing clubs since 2000 varied from 10 in 2001 to six last season one of the few ways of comparing first round champion sides is by average winning scores.
The 10-club 20001 competition included Tech (now in recess), Wanganui HSOB (now fielding only primary teams), Pourewa (Marton-Hunterville combined), Ratana, Pirates and Utiku OB (now all in the senior grade).
Border (then Waverley) played in the Taranaki championship between 1991 and 2010.
The Mitchell Cup champion team average scores since 2000, including the first round team records, points for and against, and the team's top points scorers for the full season, are –
66-9 – Kaierau 2005 (7 wins) 461 pt for, 61 against – Ace Malo 160 pts, Pati Fetuia 135 (27 tries).
50-8 – Ruapehu 2010 (7 wins) 353-50 – Robert Hughes 72 pts (14 tries).
45-14 – Ruapehu 2019 (7 wins) 316-91 – Mitchell Millar 125.
43-8 – Ratana 2001 (9 wins) 384-76 – Duane Corfield 124.
43-9 – Ruapehu 2013 (7 wins – 1 loss) 341-70 – Tauitahi Rawiri 144, Zyon Hekenui 117.
42-13 – Border 2021 (5 wins) 210-66 – Vereniki Tikoisolomone 55 (First round only).
41-13 – Ruapehu 2011 (8 wins – 1 loss) 369-116 – Owen King 83.
40-12 – Kaierau 2004 (8 wins) 322-97 – Tupae Pati 244, Jerry Meafou 137 (27 tries), Akapusi Qera 100.
40-12 – Kaierau 2009 (7 wins) 278-82 – Dion Hyland 184 (14 tries).
39-6 – Marist 2008 (7 wins) 274-42 – Cameron Crowley 80 (16 tries).
39-7 – Ratana 2002 (7 wins – 1 loss) 312-59 – Duane Corfield 163.
39-17 – Border 2017 (7 wins – 1 loss) 312-135 – Nick Harding 212.
38-15 – Kaierau 2007 (7 wins) 264-103 – Steelie Koro 140, Asaeli Tikoirotuma 135 (27 tries).
36-9 – Kaierau 2020 (4 wins - 1 loss) 181-44 – Ethan Robinson 88.
36-14 – Taihape 2016 (7 wins) 254-98 – Dane Whale 82.
34-11 – Ratana 2000 (8 wins) 275-91 – Leon Mason 127.
30-17 – Pirates 2015 (6 wins – 1 loss) 212-117 – Denning Tyrell 133.
29-12 – Ruapehu 2012 (7 wins – 1 loss) 235-96 – Tautahi Rawiri 70.
26-13 – Pirates 2014 (7 wins – 1 loss) 210-107 – Manulua Lafi 97.
25-9 – Ratana 2003 (7 wins -1 draw) 203-71 – Duane Corfield 145.
25-10 – Ratana 2006 (7 wins) 172-67 – Duane Corfield 82.
21-12 – Pirates 2018 (6 wins – 1 draw) 145-85 – Faalele Isoua 81.
