The inaugural Trevor Olney Taonga has its first owner as undefeated Waverley Harvesting Border are guaranteed to top the points table at the end of Division 1’s first round following their big win over their old foe on Saturday.

Many a team which likes to play with attacking width has left Memorial Park empty-handed, as home side Byfords Readimix Taihape are experts in closing down the fringes and pulling opponents into forward-dominated scraps through the middle.

But Border, wanting to lift from last weekend’s close-run home win over Silks Audit Rātana, hit their marks perfectly with quick recycles and Fijian power out wide - racing away in the second half for a 58-21 victory, retaining the Challenge Shield for the fifth consecutive game.

Again, much of the headlines will be grabbed by Border’s dynamic centre Zack Soqonakalou, who scored his fourth hat-trick in five games and 13th season try overall, along with powerhouse winger Beniamino Vota, who is near unstoppable close to the line, adding a double to his growing tally.

But Taihape trying to contain the Fijian flyers left openings for others.

Big match first-five Tyrone Albert reminded everyone that just because he distributes the ball on most occasions doesn’t mean he isn’t quick of feet himself - catching the home side napping with a dummy-and-dash followed by a streaking intercept to score two tries as part of a 14-point haul.

Likewise, Border’s forward pack had a point to prove being led by returning lock Ngapuke Patea, strong loose forward Ekenasio Fiso and evergreen prop Renato Tikoisolomone – Soqonakalou getting one of his tries directly off the back of their lineout drive to the line.

Border’s engine room maintained the platform for their backs throughout, even when twice reduced to seven facing eight by yellow cards.

For Taihape, there were further blows than just on the scoreboard, as Steelform Whanganui incumbent lock Peter-Travis Hay-Horton suffered a shoulder injury which could keep him sidelined for some time.

Winger Tiari Mumby and hobbled but try-scoring second-five Cyrus Tasi did what they could to hold back the Fijian tsunami out wide, while fullback Chad Whale slotted his first four kicks, having kept his side in the match at 19-9 on halftime.

Prop Tru Ratana-Horton and hooker Jaye Flaws looked to keep Border honest up front, but Taihape just could not keep the visitors from bolting away from them, with the score blowing out in the final quarter as three tries in less than seven minutes brought up the half century.

“We’ve been practicing this week to fix them in the middle and then get to an edge and come off an edge, and come back down the other side again, and we really did that pretty well today,” said coach Paul Mitchell.

“The second half, they just fell to bits a little bit and couldn’t keep pace with us.”

While Border are now guaranteed to lift the Taonga with a game to spare, Mitchell saw no reason to go into cruise control with another long trip up to Ohakune for the end of the round.

“Everyone seems to be playing pretty well; we had a bit of a rough week last weekend against Rātana so we were really determined to turn that around this week and I think we did that.

“In saying that, we still leaked 21 points, so that’s something to work on for us.”

While the Taihape vs Border rivalry has certainly been intense over the past seven years, that doesn’t mean each side hasn’t had their moments of ascendancy - Taihape coach Sefo Bourke acknowledging momentum is with the Challenge Shield holders.

“All credit to Border, they came here with a game plan – spread the ball wide in those channels and our defence just wasn’t up to it today.

“They capitalised on our mistakes I think, early in the first half, and we were just playing on the back foot for the whole game really.

“We’ll have to see how we go next week and the other results in terms of standings, but we’ll go back to the drawing board and figure out where we went wrong, and then try and do a lot better in terms of those work-on areas.”

Border showed no sluggishness from the long bus ride as they advanced from the first lineout in their half and set Sogonakalou rampaging down the grandstand touchline, Taihape conceding a ruck penalty with the ball immediately sent wide to the far touch where flanker Tom Caskey delivered the last pass for Vota to jog in for a try Albert converted in the fourth minute.

But from here, Taihape were able drag Border into the scrap they craved, asserting ruck and scrum pressure, while Whale, who previously had a game for his club’s Division 2 team to get over the jetlag from an overseas trip, slotted two penalties to close the gap to 7-6.

This tighter game requires ball control in contact, and unfortunately for Taihape a spill was snatched up by Border halfback Jahstice Metekingi to dash off, and from the breakdown Vota got the ball to power through the cover defence for his double.

Border swiftly worked back into the attacking half from a penalty and a couple of rucks, and Albert seized his chance when they hung off him at first receiver – showing the ball and then motoring through the gap to wrong foot the last defender and score under the posts, with Caskey taking the conversion.

Rattled, Taihape got back into their work, as they earned a succession of penalties from Border creeping up to the offside line as they lined up big hits or getting pinged trying to turn over the ruck ball – ultimately prop Shayden Taiapa getting the yellow card following the last warning and Whale popping over three points right on halftime.

But if Taihape thought they could exploit their overlap they were mistaken as Albert timed his intercept of a long pass perfectly to sprint out of his own half and hold off his chasers to dive under the posts for a simple conversion at 26-9.

With the forwards now restored to eight, they drove hard off a penalty lineout win to get to the line, and after a couple of team mate carries, Soqonakalou seized his chance to go low on the ruck blindside and get the ball down.

The follow-up was immediate as Border forced a turnover and Taihape just weren’t set defensively to stop Soqonakalou sprinting away to the posts, Caskey again taking the tee to put Border out of reach at 38-9.

A proud team, Taihape worked forward off a Border spill at the restart to get into position to attack the line, and after a succession of professional foul penalties and tap kicks, Tasi twisted his way through two tacklers to score, with Caskey receiving a yellow card while Whale slotted the extras.

But even with their side reduced to 14 again, Border’s Fijians can outrun of push away so many defenders that it doesn’t matter as they cut loose.

Soqonakalou took a quick tap near the line and just drove his way through, and then after veteran reserve Samu Kubunavanua attacked from the restart with the red-hot centre, the ball went to the other touchline from a tap penalty for another veteran in second-five Alekesio Vakarorogo to dash to the gap and step through to score.

Border were now running hot and brought up their half century as another Kubunavanua carry opened Taihape up again and the ball went out to Vota who made a great offload in the tackle to reserve back Silio Waqalevu, who in turn held off his own marker to get the ball down in the corner.

Play was now wide open as Taihape managed to turnover the restart and attack down the far touch, with reserve prop Te Uhi Hakaraia driving in to score at the corner flag.

But Border would still have the final say as they won the last restart and took off, with winger Roms Senileba strolling in to put the ball down on the last play.

Border 58 (Z Soqonakalou 3, B Vota 2, T Albert 2, A Vakarorogo, S Waqalevu, R Senileba tries; Albert 2 con, T Caskey 2 con) bt Taihape 21 (C Tasi, T Hakaraia tries; C Whale 3 pen, con). HT: 19-9.

By Jared Smith