The pack drove lock Toby Lennox over the line and then co-captain Angus Middleton was on hand to snatch up a fumbled ball on the tryline and score, with Clare ultimately slotting five kicks from six attempts in the swirling breeze.
But in their first grand final since 2011, when several of the team were the young sons of that squad, Kaierau showed great courage, as co-captain Ethan Robinson had a fantastic match – showing his team mates how to claim the high ball, taking his turns on the angled hit-ups, and slotting six straight penalties from all angles in atrocious conditions.
Co-captain Joe Edwards protected the ball from his back-peddling scrum at No8 while making some key runs, as did flanker Cade Robinson and locks Josh Lane and Josefa Rokotakala.
In the worst of the weather, Kaierau rumbled up for over 18 phases of excellent ball control to get Robinson in range for another penalty at 17-15 not long after halftime.
But a fumbled clearing kick and then pressure from Clare and his pack, led ably by Middleton, Kieran Hussey and Ranato Tikoisolomone, meant Border were positioned for 57th and 67th minute penalties.
They then absorbed Kaierau's carries to force turnovers, the underdogs rueing dropping the ball after a quick tap near the line, so Robinson ultimately decided on his sixth kick to close the gap to five points with four minutes left.
It appeared Border had trapped Kaierau at last, even turning down a kickable penalty to take a quick tap near the tryline, but in a rush of blood while holding advantage, a fist thrown at Lane saw a penalty reversal and gave the Whanganui club the last possession.
They tapped and worked their way out to the 40m, but Border finally trapped them for the turnover and the right to join elite WRFU company as repeat Premier champions.
Coach Cole Baldwin was asked in his long career if he had ever had a match in a virtual hurricane.
"There's always a first for everything, isn't there?
"We showed a fair bit of ticker, I thought.
"I thought at halftime when we were up, we were in a pretty good position, but Kaierau come out firing in that second half and held onto the ball, and we just kept giving away penalties and they just kept on taking those three points.
"I'm pretty please with how our defence was, it's a bit frustrating with the amount of penalties we were giving away, but all-in-all, a proper final and both teams gave everything they had.
"It's good to be able to get another result for the club and community, so we're pleased about that."
Having to overcome a mountain of injuries to his squad this season, with different line-ups every week, Kaierau coach Carl Gibson felt only a couple of key moments had prevented them from making history.
"They were superior in that first half, with those nice little box kicks that Lindsay was doing were just hanging, really hard to contend, and they played off it – good effort by them to do those and get it going.
"But I was so proud of my boys for coming back in that second half and fighting so hard.
"They were in it; they were in with a good shot. Ethan Robinson was kicking outstanding in those conditions - he had a very good game.
"Those boys left everything out there, and that's all I asked for.
"It's been a bit of a tough old year, but what doesn't break you makes you stronger and I think they just showed that – they got big hearts and they had a good crack."
Border 23 (T Lennox, A Middleton tries; C Clare 3 pen, 2 con) bt Kaierau 18 (Ethan Robinson 6 pen). HT: 17-12.
Around the grounds
Metro
It will be a rematch of the 2020 MRU Colts grand final as St Johns Whanganui Metro smashed Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 78-0 at Spriggens Park in the 1st vs 4th semifinal on Saturday. At Johnston Park, defending champions Feilding Yellows beat Old Boys Marist 44-12 in the 2nd vs 3rd semifinal.
Women's U18
It was a tough week of the new Whanganui Under 18 Girls team in two representative games at TET Stadium in Inglewood during the week. On Wednesday, Whanganui lost to home side Taranaki 17-15, with two tries from Tamaliyah Bogileka and one from Player of Day Hayley Gabriel. Whanganui then played King Country on Thursday after were unable to execute off their attacks, beaten 17-5.
Godfrey
Former Whanganui Collegiate 1st XV star Harry Godfrey was named at fullback for the New Zealand Under 20 side to face Cooks Islands on Saturday. Held at Dilworth College in Auckland, New Zealand won 85-0.
