Ruapehu lost several key veteran forwards from the team that upset Border in last year's Premier grand final, but the cream of the Ruapehu Senior squad who won their 2015 championship under Green have now fully graduated into the top rank under head coach Daisy Alabaster.
Coupled with an uneven first round with several lower table Premier sides struggling and other top teams still coming on stream, and Ruapehu's keeness and preseason fitness work has shone through.
"All the new players that come in, we try to make them feel comfortable. Our Thursday night feed helps them a lot, especially those coming off the farms," said Green.
"We don't use as much strapping tape, with these young boys."
While flanker Jack Kinder is sitting out this match, the likes of lock Jackson Campbell continues to come on leaps and bounds, while midfielder Troy Brown has returned to form and joins a talented backline group with youthful players like halfback Kahl Elers-Green, first-five Mitchell Millar and winger Shaquille Waara, being guided by the cool head of veteran professional Craig Clare.
Campbell Hart and Jamie Hughes lead the loose forwards, while under the watchful eye of the now-retired prop Kim McNaught, the Hakaraia brothers in Gabriel and Te Uhi will have their toughest test so far this campaign against Pirates looming front row, led by the deceptively quick Raymond Salu and Fa'amanu Pulemagafa.
"A lot of respect between the two clubs," said Pirates coach Phillip Morris.
"They've played a lot of preseason rugby, with the Maori [representative games].
"Their support play on Saturday was outstanding, although Marist were disappointing."
After the heady success of the 2014-15 Premier championships, Pirates had their fall-off year in 2016, before Morris again went out aggressively with his recruiting to rebuild a side good enough to make last year's semifinals.
"It was not ideal preparation with the 'bye' [Settler's Honey Ngamatapouri default]. The boys just want game time to keep the momentum going," said Morris.
"The club scene is a concern, it's not healthy.
"I'd look at a three tier, six team competition. That way teams have got a goal to promote themselves, then guys from Taihape Rd [in Utiku] will want to come down.
"You wonder how some guys get motivated every week. You have to be viable, the clubs are the community."
Having learnt from last year's late run of form to finish close fourth in the semifinal picture, Morris knows every first round competition point is vital come July.
"We've got a lot of muscle but we've got to use our smarts. We've won ugly a few times, and that's pleasing."
Look for first-five Fa'alele Iosua and outside backs Elijah Ah Chong and Junior Ainea to make their mark.
The final weekend of the first round kicks off early as Border will host Settler's Honey Ngamatapouri for the annual pre-duck shooting match under lights at Waverley's Dallison Park at 7.30pm tonight.
After the disappointment of defaulting to Pirates last weekend, Ngamatapouri manager Gerald Pearce used Facebook to implore the squad to get the numbers to training last night, using the enticement of the arrival of Haati GrassRoots Rugby to film the game for Maori TV.
Wanting to keep up with Pirates and Ruapehu, Border are beginning to hit their stride and have no slack to give anyone.
It will be a big battle between fourth vs fifth at Memorial Park as PGG Wrightson/Ballance Taihape host Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist in the latest game of their mini-tournament which also involves Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau in the fight to make the playoffs.
After back-to-back devastating losses in the dying seconds to Marist and Taihape, Kaierau will regroup and look to take maximum points when they meet Harvey Round Motors Ratana at the Country Club.
