Cook Islands national rugby league team

Cook Islands

Team information
Nickname	Aitu, Kuki's
Governing body	Cook Islands Rugby League Association
Region	Asia-Pacific
Head coach	Karmichael Hunt
Captain	Esan Marsters
IRL ranking	10th
Uniforms
First colours
Team results
First international
Cook Islands 22-8 Niue  (Rarotonga, Cook Islands; 1986)
Biggest win
Cook Islands 66-6 South Africa  (Sydney, Australia; 2019)
Biggest defeat
Tonga 92-10 Cook Islands  (Middlesbrough, England; 31 October 2022)
World Cup
Appearances	3 (first time in 2000)
Best result	Group stage, 2000; 2013; 2021.

The Cook Islands national rugby league team have represented the Cook Islands in international rugby league football since 1986. Administered by the Cook Islands Rugby League Association (CIRLA), the team has competed at three Rugby League World Cups, in 2000, 2013 and 2021, and are coached by Karmichael Hunt.

History

1990s

Before 1995, the Cooks' international experience was limited to participation in the Pacific Cup, and hosting the touring British Amateur Rugby League Association Great Britain Amateur teams. Nonetheless, the sizeable number of expatriate Cook Islanders living and playing in New Zealand has ensured that they have never been short of players with rugby league experience.

They won the 1995 Emerging Nations tournament, defeating United States, Russia and Scotland before beating Ireland in the final.

In 1996 and 1997 the Cook Islands competed in the Super League World Nines. They also played several full internationals against other South Pacific nations, most notably as part of the Papua New Guinea 50th Anniversary Tournament in October 1998. 2000 saw the Cook Islands competing in the World Cup for the first time. They finished third in their pool after losing to Wales^[1] and the Kiwis and only managing a draw against Lebanon.

2000s

The Cook Islands successfully toured New Zealand in 2005 with a three test series against the New Zealand Māori ending in a draw after the first test was drawn 26–26 and the second and third tests were split between both sides.

The Cook Islands played Fiji,^[2] Tonga and Samoa in the Pacific pool of Qualifying for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Fiji and Tonga qualified, and Samoa earned a second chance in the repecharge round. The Cook Islands, having lost to all three teams, were eliminated.

The Cook Islands participated in the 2009 Pacific Cup. Having beaten Samoa to earn a place in the tournament, they went on to defeat favourites Fiji and earn a place in the final of the competition.^[3]

2010s

The Cook Islands were given automatic entry into the 2013 Rugby League World Cup they were placed in Pool D alongside Wales and the United States before playing an Inter-Group match against Tonga. Going into the Tournament, 'the Kukis' had never won a World Cup match. The team lost to the USA and to Tonga, but they won their last match against the Tournament co-hosts Wales, making history for the sport of rugby league in the Cook Islands. This is the Cook Islands' best Rugby League World Cup result to date.

In October 2015 the Cook Islands took on Tonga in the Asia-Pacific elimination play-off to determine which of the two Asia-Pacific nations would qualify for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. After a tight first half, the Tongans would go on win the match scoring 16 points within the last 20 minutes of the game.

In June 2019, Cook Islands took on South Africa at Ringrose Park in Wentworthville, winning 66–6. They then went on to play the United States at Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville in November. They won 38–16, qualifying them into the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. At the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, the Cook Islands narrowly beat part timers Wales 18-12 before losing their second group stage match against Papua New Guinea. In their final group stage match, the Cook Islands suffered their worst ever defeat as they were beaten 92-10 by Tonga at the Riverside Stadium.^[4]

Players

Current squad

The Cook Islands squad for the 2023 Pacific Rugby League Championships. The squad was announced on 10 October 2023.^[5]
Statistics in this table are compiled from the website, Rugby League Project.

J#	Player	Age	Position(s)	Cook Islands						Club	NRL		SL		Other Reps
				Dbt	M	T	G	F	P		CM	TM	CM	TM
1	Esom Ioka	—	Fullback, Centre	2023	2	2	1	0	10	Western Clydesdales	—	0	0	0
2	Malachi Morgan	—	Wing	2023	2	0	0	0	0	Tweed Heads Seagulls	—	0	0	0
3	Kayal Iro	21	Centre, Fullback	2019	8	1	0	0	4	Newtown Jets	—	1	0	0
4	Alvin Maungatti	—	Centre	2023	1	0	0	0	0		—	0	0	0
5	Steven Marsters	24	Wing	2019	8	4	24	0	64	Thirroul Butchers	—	6	0	0
6	Brad Takairangi	34	Five-eighth	2009	12	1	3	0	10	Dapto Canaries	—	178	0	24	2 4
7	Esan Marsters	27	Halfback, Centre	2015	8	2	0	0	8	Huddersfield Giants	—	86	21	21	4 6
8	Davvy Moale	20	Prop	2022	6	2	0	0	8	South Sydney Rabbitohs	31	31	0	0
9	Ruatapu Ngatikaura	23	Hooker	2022	4	0	0	0	0	Western Suburbs Magpies	—	0	0	0
17	Takai Mokohar	25	Second-row	2023	2	0	0	0	0	Western Clydesdales	—	0	0	0
11	Zane Tetevano	33	Second-row	2009	10	0	0	0	0	Leeds Rhinos	—	122	47	47	1 3
12	Reuben Porter	26	Second-row	2017	6	0	0	0	0	North Sydney Bears	—	0	0	0
13	Pride Petterson-Robati	28	Lock	2019	5	0	0	0	0	Burleigh Bears	—	0	0	0
14	Kadiyae Ioka	—	Five-eighth	2023	2	0	0	0	0	Glenora Bears	—	0	0	0
15	Rhys Dakin	—	Prop	2023	2	0	0	0	0	Newtown Jets	—	0	0	0
16	Justin Makirere	—	Prop	2023	2	0	0	0	0	Norths Devils	—	0	0	0
10	William Samuel	26	Prop	2023	1	0	0	0	0	Wynnum Manly Seagulls	—	0	0	0
18	Isaiah Cooper-Tetevano	28	Second-row	2023	1	1	0	0	4	Mackay Cutters	—	0	0	0
19	Lucky Pokipoki	—	Prop	—	0	0	0	0	0	Ipswich Jets	—	0	0	0
–	Tevin Arona	28	Halfback	2019	3	1	0	0	4	Hornby Panthers	—	0	0	0
–	Makahesi Makatoa	30	Prop	2015	8	1	0	0	4	Parramatta Eels	46	46	0	2

Notes

• Clubs outside the NRL and Super League are shaded in the above table.
• Esan Marsters, Brad Takairangi, and Zane Tetevano had previously played for New Zealand and the Māori All Stars.

Competitive record

Below is table of the representative rugby matches played by a Cook Islands national XIII at test level up until 6 November 2023.^[6]

Opponent	Matches	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win %	For	Aga	Diff
American Samoa	1	1	0	0	100%	22	20	+2
Fiji	13	5	1	7	38.46%	219	349	–130
Ireland	1	1	0	0	100%	22	6	+16
Lebanon	3	2	1	0	66.67%	80	66	+14
New Zealand	2	0	0	2	0%	10	134	–124
New Zealand Maori	12	4	1	7	33.33%	216	312	–96
New Zealand	2	0	0	2	0%	10	134	–124
New Zealand XIII	2	0	0	2	0%	6	62	–56
Niue	3	2	0	1	66.67%	67	74	–7
Papua New Guinea	7	0	0	7	0%	94	270	–176
Rotuma	1	0	0	1	0%	10	17	–17
Russia	1	1	0	0	100%	58	20	+38
Samoa	9	2	0	7	22.22%	128	386	–258
Scotland	1	1	0	0	100%	21	10	+11
South Africa	1	1	0	0	100%	66	6	+60
Tokelau	1	1	0	0	100%	19	10	+9
Tonga	12	1	0	11	8.33%	151	425	–274
United States	3	2	0	1	66.67%	122	56	+66
Wales	3	2	0	1	66.67%	52	74	–22
Total	78	26	3	49	33.33%	1373	2431	–1058

Rugby League World Cup

Rugby League World Cup record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA
1954	did not participate
1957
1960
1968
1970
1972
1975
1977
1985–88
1989–92
1995	did not qualify
2000	Group stage	13th	3	0	1	2	38	144
2008	did not qualify
2013	Group stage	9th	3	1	0	2	64	78
2017	did not qualify
2021	Group stage	11th	3	1	0	2	44	136
Total	–	–	9	2	1	6	146	358

Other competitions

The Cook Islands have also participated in:

• Pacific Cup (since 1986)
• Super League World Nines (1996, 1997)
• Super League Oceania Tournament (1997)
• Papua New Guinea 50th Anniversary Tournament (1998)
• Pacific Rim Competition (2004)

See also

• Rugby league in the Cook Islands

References

External links

• Google-Video
• Cook Islands national rugby league team on Facebook