While both teams then got bogged down, it was the steady kicking and guidance of Taihape player-coach Dane Whale that proved the difference.
Whale instinctively knew the right time to kick for territory and when to take the line on to put Ratana on the backfoot, with two penalties from in front on a difficult day for goalkicking took the home side out of reach.
Fellow leading players like flanker Tremaine Gilbert, fullback Te Rangitapu McLeod and centre Luke Whale weren't flawless with their handling, but they each stood up in the little moments which make all the difference.
Big lock Peter Travis Hay-Horton could be a real mover this season after providing some strong carries and hustling defence.
Ratana unveiled some talent as well – flanker Cory Chant made his tackles count, tryscoring prop Shade Tuaine-Whanau ran over defenders, winger Viliame Kuruyabaki was excellent on defence and frustrated Taihape by securing multiple turnovers, while halfback Onewa Tai showed growing maturity during his 50-odd minutes.
As expected for the opening game, both sides were fairly scrappy in the final quarter, which was stop-start with knock-ons and turnovers as Taihape's defence weathered Ratan's storm midway through the half, while the visitors did the same at the end to deny their hosts a bonus-point try.
Both new coaches were fairly satisfied, with Ratana's Steelie Koro now looking to add attacking smarts to the blind enthusiasm.
"That's a bit of fitness, that's a huge key.
"It's good to know the boys know that without me having to tell them."
Taihape having a "calibre player" like Whale to control the tempo made the difference, Koro said.
"Now there's a bit of fire in the belly. Just back to the drawing board."
"There will be structure when they're fit."
For the first game in charge for coaches Whale and Gilbert, they were just glad to get it out of the way.
"The first 10 minutes was text book, then the fitness came into it," Whale said.
"Niggly, with hands on the ball."
He thanked the regular players who had done a full 80 minutes, as well as the Seniors who came onto the bench after their previous game, because Ratana may have lacked some execution but never quit trying.
"They'll upset some teams."
While Ratana showed their eagerness early with some bone-rattling front on tackles, Taihape's handling was immaculate, putting the ball through the hands and recycling quickly.
Hooker Hoani Woodhead, Gilbert, and prop Ritchie Iorns all made offloads while Hay-Horton tested the defence.
From a penalty lineout win, prop Wiremu Cotterill drove at the line and flanker Bo Walker was right with him to dive over after seven minutes.
Ratana were playing without territory thanks to kicking and chasing the second they got turnovers, with Whale putting them right back with his clearances, but they defended their line and competed well for Taihape's lineout ball.
Having lost their shape as it got scrappy, Taihape's wayward hands in the ruck led to a string of penalties, letting Ratana get some territory, and they set their forwards to follow up off the backs recycling the ball, as Tuaine-Whanau picked up the ball at the line and monstered the tacklers out of his way to tie the scores.
The fumbles and penalties began to mount up on both sides, with Taihape taking a penalty scrum inside Ratana's 22m.
Ratana defended well, until Whale spread wide to brother Luke Whale, who threw the dummy and stepped sideways through an opening, with Dane Whale first to the tryline ruck to force his way over.
But with less than five minutes to halftime, Ratana didn't slack off, and first-five Aaron Paranihi dummied his own way into a gap and raced into Taihape's 22m, before finding No8 Marius Joseph with the long pass to dive into the corner.
Woken back up, Taihape responded with another well-worked try in the 50th minute, as No8 Dylan Maloney went off a lineout to Gilbert, who fended a tackler away and sent play wide to Luke Whale.
Whale's long pass found reserve Adam Eremina, who showed good speed and vision to dive before the corner and slide over ahead of the cover defence.
It was a mark of respect to Ratana's physicality that when Taihape got back down into their 22m and received a penalty in front, that even the home forwards were pointing Dane Whale to the goalposts for the eight-point buffer instead of gambling for a fourth try.
Taihape then had to weather Ratana's counterattacks in their territory, which just lacked for a bit of imagination as eventually they would chip kick and the Taihape defenders to cover and Whale to clear.
Another penalty in front, this time from 40m out, saw Whale again opt for a safer buffer of 11 points with seven minutes remaining.
Taihape 21 (B Walker, D Whale, A Eremina tries; Whale 2 pen) bt Ratana (S Tuaine-Whanau, M Joseph tries). HT: 10-10.
