Memorial Park will host the last Barracks Challenge Shield match for the Tasman Tanning Premier season and may see a decisive switch in who drives where for following weekend’s semifinals.

Holders Byford’s Readimix Taihape took over the top of the table without even playing a fortnight ago thanks to their automatic bye points, as the injury-wracked Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau lost to Tāmata Hauhā Rātana.

It is now guaranteed for the first time since 2019 there will not be a Taihape vs Kaierau semifinal, but Taihape coach Sefo Bourke is well aware of the need for a good performance when their old grand final rivals Waverley Harvesting Border come to the park this Saturday.

The rebuilding five-time champs Border have found their form with consecutive home wins, and would love to lift the Shield and avenge their narrow 26-20 loss to Taihape in Waverley in mid-May.

There is also the scenario, depending on bonus points and the result of the Rātana vs Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist game, of Border moving to third and either travelling back to Taihape or their likely preferred option of the shorter trip to the Country Club to play a battered Kaierau.

“It’s refreshing for us and I guarantee it’s refreshing for Kaierau,” said Bourke about the different Top 4 layout in 2025.

“With that bye, everyone gets five points, it happened [to go top] with that couple of weeks before to get the two wins.

“[Border’s] very dangerous in terms of how we see them, if we do play them next week, because in finals footy anything can happen on the day and I know they have been building since the start of the second round and playing some really good footy.”

Byes and public holiday weekends have been tough for the Premier squads this season to build momentum, so Bourke was delighted with outcome of the short-notice Northern vs Rangitīkei sub-union game on Matariki Friday.

Starting the match and getting an excellent hit-out in a quality fixture were Te Uhi Hakaraia, Gabriel Hakaraia, Sam Reeves, Jack Kinder, Tyrese Payne, Chad Whale, Dane Whale, Tiare Mumby, Ryan Karatau, and Tyler Rogers-Holden, while another handful of clubmen filled out the bench.

“The majority of the boys are feeling really good, and it was pleasing for myself and Tremaine [Gilbert] to see so many of our boys have a run last week, because if we didn’t, some of the boys would be two games behind in terms of conditioning leading into this weekend,” said Bourke.

“The main thing for us as well is there were no injuries.”

Rogers-Holden was back in outstanding form, the Whale cousins showed excellent game management, and while he came off with a bloody nose, Kinder looked it great touch with two tries.

But there was a lesser-sung player who deserved recognition in the match and for his good work for Taihape this year, as veteran winger Ryan Karatau got Northern onto the front foot with a great try and then try-assist from another break down the touchline.

“The last three seasons since I’ve been coaching, he has been a consistent performer, week in and week out,” said Bourke.

“We’ve noticed a bit of shift with him this year, when Tyler went down in the Marist game that we had here that we ended up losing, [Karatau] had to take the No15 jersey by the scruff of the neck, and he’s done an awesome job for us.

“He did it again against Kaierau and against Rātana, so we appreciate his performance and getting named in the Northern squad was a bit of reward for him.”

June 28th, 2.35pm kickoffs

Taihape vs Border, Memorial Park; Marist vs Rātana, Spriggens Park.
 

By Jared Smith