Although Taihape have won a dozen of the last 16 matches since 2012, the Kaiwhakas foiled the champions 17-16 on Memorial Park when the teams last met to atone for an earlier 17-11 home loss.
Kaierau have a 28 to 14 winning record in the 43 games during the new millennium with the bulk of those victories between 2001 and 2011 when a 12-all draw at Taihape in 2006 halted a 23 match winning sequence.
With a thrilling 25-24 victory on a very early trip to Western Samoa, a 22-12 loss to Kia Toa and a fine 33-7 scalping of Wairarapa Bush champions Martinborough, Kaierau have experienced a solid build-up as they aim to improve on a fourth placing last season after finishing fifth the previous three years.
After a golden 2019, when the club won the premier/senior championship double, as well as the Weekes Cup, (overall champion club) for the first time,Taihape have a hard act to follow.
Apart from finishing sixth in 2017, however, Taihape have reached the premier playoffs six times in the past seven years and should again be strong contenders.
Head coach Tom Wells has a squad of experienced and young promoted players headed by 45 rep cap first five or utility back Dane Whale (99pts for Taihape last year) and former rep loose forward Tremaine Gilbert (46 games for Wanganui).
Versatile Tyler Rogers-Holden, who has impressed with his sound play in his 17 matches in a range of positions for the Butcher Boys over the past two seasons, is likely to be the halfback in the absence of Ra Broughton (gone to East Coast) and 2011 rep James Barrett (seniors this year).
Midfield back Jaye Flaws, a 2014 rep, is recovering from injury, as is prop Hadlee Hay-Horton.
Taihape have a very mobile hooker in Dylan Gallien, who scored 11 tries for the champions last season and with 13-cap rep prop Wiremu Cottrell makes for a strong front row.
Tiari Mumby, the club's top 2019 senior back, has been promoted to premiers while Canterbury flanker Ollie Rhodes will bolster the forward pack.
Luke Whale is another experienced back dropping down to help Taihape seniors try to retain the grade title.
Kaierau's forward contingent has been given a shot in the arm with the return of powerful 35-year-old former NZ Heartland rep Lasa Ulukuta after a few years with Pirates.
He had 29 games for Wanganui between 2009 and 2014, winning the 2009 Meads Cup and two Wanganui premier club titles with Pirates.
Also back with Kaierau is 2017 rep lock Cade Robinson. New prop Jack van Bussell is ex-Massey and Inglewood. Current rep lock Josh Lane is another key tight forward as is rep hooker Joe Edwards.
Accurate goal kicking fullback Shandon Scott scored 93pts last season while fellow rep, winger Karl Pascoe, was the club's top try scorer with seven.
New backs include Otago halfback Caleb Gray, first five James Thurston (ex-Marton – PNCOB) and midfielder Patrick Hiscox.
Add in reliable veteran utility Ace Malo, halfback Cameron Davies and fellow midfielder Ethan Robinson, all with rep experience, and there is plenty of ability in the Kaierau backline.
The Grand Shield has changed hands six times in Border v Ruapehu clashes in the past eight years with the Waverley club winning the past four – 25-7 at home last year, 21-18 at Ohakune in 2018, 34-15 on Dallison Park in 2016 and 18-13 at Rochfort Park in 2014 – and Ruapehu at home in both 2013 (21-6) and 2012 (53-7).
Cole Baldwin (105 rep matches) has taken over the Border main coaching role but will be minus former Wanganui rep forwards Jon Smyth (retired) and hooker Kieran Hussey (to Hawera) plus NZ Heartland under-20 flanker Jason Meyers and fellow loose forward Chris Breuer (both to Manawatu) and useful goal kicking second five Te Kepa Grindlay (to Hawera).
But solid rep lock Sam Madams (60 games for Wanganui since 2009) has switched back from Marist and the highly promising Wanganui Collegiate School No 8 from last season, Semisi Vodosese, is also in the squad.
Border have the bulk of last year's squad that was beaten 23-16 in extra time by Taihape in the final including rep props Kamipeli Latu and Hamish Mellow, lock Jack Hodges, utility Ranato Tikoisolomone and flanker Angus Middleton.
The union's leading goal kicker, fullback Nick Harding (702 points since 2016), elusive young three-quarter Vereniki Tikoisolomone (13 rep and eight club tries), halfback Lindsay Horrocks (70 rep games), tactical NZ Heartland utility back Craig Clare and rep winger Tom Symes are included in a dangerous backline.
The return of four-times NZ Heartland rep flanker Fraser Hammond will strengthen Ruapehu's forward pack which has been an important factor in the club's six championship titles since 2008.
The 35-year-old, who played for the national team in 2009, 10, 12 and 15, is making a comeback with Ruapehu.
Hammond, who has played 60 times for the Steelform Butcher Boys between 2007 and 2017 and been in four champion Meads Cup-winning teams, will boost a Ruapehu loose forward unit spearheaded by 2019 Grand Irish Bar MVP winner Jamie Hughes and rep skipper Campbell Hart.
Ruapehu, however, have lost 2018 single cap rep lock Jackson Campbell who was in the 2017 (28-26 v Border) and 2018 (41-12 v Pirates) champion club teams,
Campbell, who also played as a loosie, repped against West Coast at Greymouth two years ago, is playing in the South Island this season.
There is doubt over the availability of experienced 72 cap Wanganui rep hooker Roman Tutauha, who has been a key member of the strong Ruapehu front row that has helped win four premier titles since 2012.
Centre Tautahi Rawiri, who scored eight tries in 2019, has switched back to league again.
The team's leading try scorer last year, midfielder Troy Brown (13 tries), a 15-cap rep player, will again be an important attacking back.
Evergreen 37-year-old utility Andrew Evans (49 rep games between 2003-13), who plays in either the backs or forwards and can also kick goals, may restrict his duties to helping out with coaching.
Other doubtful starters are goal kicker Mitchell Millar, the top points scorer in the union last winter with 125, and halfback Karl Elers-Green.
Millar, who played in Ireland in the off season and could have visions of returning overseas again, has scored 356 points in the last three seasons – 125 (2019) and 90 (2018) for Ruapehu and 141 (when second on the 2017 points table) for Marist.
If Millar is missing the Ruapehu goal kicking is likely to revolve around outside back Aaron Paranihi or halfback Tuhirangi Akapita.
Marist, under new coach Travis Hopkins, are going through a rebuilding era but are still capable of bobbing up with upsets as it proved in beating Border 27-25 early last year.
No 8 Brad Graham will captain a team that includes rep hooker Jack Yarrall and prop Viki Tofa, lock Brad O'Leary, loose forward Lake Ah Chong and Taione Ratu in the forwards.
A major defection from the backline is rep midfielder Peni Nabainivalu, who is stranded in Fiji, but winger Luke Foster, the team's top try scorer in 2019, is back again.
Look for occasional fireworks from Ngamatapouri, the Div 2 champions last year, with the team's stars again available.
They include penetrating midfield back Timoci Seruwalu, a NZ Heartland rep who helped Horowhenua-Kapiti win the Lochore Cup and Wanganui win the Meads Cup in 2017, goal kicking Sheldon Pakinga-Manhire, Josaia Dawai, Russiate Vukula and ex-Kaierau player Api Koroi who scored 145 club points in 2010, in the backs.
The forwards include former rep loose forwards Bryn Hudson and Samu Kubunavanua and Brad Newland (ex-Hawke's Bay).
The presence of Harvey Round Motors Ratana and Black Bull Liquor Pirates, dropping down from the premiers, will add extra spice to the senior grade.
It will put extra pressure on defending champions Bennett's Taihape, runners-up Utiku OB, ex-winners Kelso Huntervile, Speirs Food Marton and Counties.
The late withdrawal of Ruapehu leaves an 11-team competition with a weekly bye.
The big clash this weekend is between 2019's top two teams, with Taihape defending the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield against Utiku OB in a local derby fixture.
Pirates are away to Kaierau and Ratana to Marton in games involving near neighbours. Counties host Celtic and Buffalos travel to Waverley to tackle Border.
