Waverley Harvesting Border became just the third club in Whanganui club rugby history to win the top title three years in a row. Photo/ Bevan Conley
Waverley Harvesting Border became just the third club in Whanganui club rugby history to win the top title three years in a row. Photo/ Bevan Conley
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One team had the form book, but the other had the history book, as Waverley Harvesting Border reminded everyone who they are – a Tasman Tanning Premier championship dynasty – with a 16-15 upset win on Saturday.
Becoming only the third club in WRFU history to win a top grade championship three-peat, Border came into the Cooks Gardens showcase with an underdog status belying their championship pedigree - having twice lost in 2022 round-robin play to the reinforced Byford's Readmix Taihape by the combined score of 128-22.
However, having managed his smaller squad through injury and illness, birthday boy coach Cole Baldwin had them primed and ready for a one-off performance, and when Taihape displayed some tentativeness in the early exchanges, Border's generals Lindsay Horrocks and Craig Clare booted them into a 6-0 lead and the favourites were playing catch-up rugby from then-on.
Border were ultimately outscored three tries to one, just like they were in their narrow 2020 final win over Taihape.
However, in that game they played virtually no rugby, lived on defence and survived on the boot of Nick Harding, but this was certainly not the case in 2022.
Border's tactical kicking, restrictive set-piece, and lateral attacks kept an increasingly frustrated Taihape scrambling to get turnovers and work back out of their own half - preventing them from building momentum to get the territory for their signature short-range tries.
Give all the credit to Border's scrum – pushing against an all-representative pack they gave Taihape absolutely nothing.
Player-of-the-day Renato Tikiosolomone and propping partner Hamish Mellow delivered in the furnace, while openside flanker Angus Middleton pulled another vintage performance from the top shelf – with his cover defence, aggressive counter rucking and mental head games he remains a nightmare to play against.
Also, Clare's cover defence is underappreciated - at standoff he is not the typical second-line cover but a determined front-line tackler, as he and Middleton shut down Taihape's dangermen out wide in first-five Dane Whale, centre Tim Goodwin and fullback Tyler Rogers-Holden.
Waverley Harvesting Border became just the third club in Whanganui club rugby history to win the top title three years in a row. Photo/ Bevan Conley
It was such a rare sight in 2022 to see Taihape struggle to clear the advantage line, although that changed in the second half when reserve No8 Ben Whale, who in a head-scratcher did not start, came on and got the favourites onto the front foot.
Still a Ruapehu man at heart, hooker Roman Tutauha had never lost a final to Border and he joined Whale in driving his side onwards, and when the latter busted through a tiring defence to run 30m and score in the corner, Taihape finally hit the lead they had expected all game in the 68th minute.
But Border would not be denied, as Clare and Middleton forced a turnover from the kickoff, and after getting a penalty following the scrum, ironically it was Harding who was chucked the ball despite not having kicked a single goal this season, including just missing a shot from 50m in the first half, outside Clare's range.
Despite the difficult angle and the pounding on the sideboards from the Taihape supporters, Harding coolly slotted it to give Border the lead again with nine minutes left, and then Clare and Horrocks took over with pinpoint kicking followed by unwavering forwards defence to trap Taihape back inside their 40m, with flanker Kieran Hussey outstanding.
Harding couldn't add another go-ahead penalty, but Border kept possession and Horrocks marshalled his pack to deliver over 15 carries and recycles to kill the clock and secure their place in immortality.
The bubbly would spray the walls in Border's changing sheds.
"A pretty special performance. Taihape are a very good side, they've had a great season, and I'd like to congratulate them for the way they played not just today but their season," said a gracious Baldwin.
"I felt this week, there was a really different feeling with the guys. I knew they were really up for the game.
"When you get opportunities you've just got to take them. I was more than confident we were going to make a good game of it, and that's what happened today."
Having retained the crown that many thought was Taihape's by right, this may still be the end of an era for Border.
But if it is, they went out on top.
"I know I'll be moving on and letting someone else put their own spin on it, but been very happy we've had a lot of success – it's been great," said Baldwin.
Having collected a third silver medal for one gold in his player/coach rivalry with Border and Baldwin, Taihape's Tom Wells was left to ponder how the near-perfect season had fallen at the last hurdle.
"[Border's] line speed was right on. Maybe we were a little bit off at the start, but they were on today, and credit to them for what they did.
