Cook Islands Tri-Series Information

[Kingbunny]

From http://www.cinews.co.ck/sports.htm

League stars clash in tri series

15 November: Fierce competition is expected in the Cook Islands Rugby League tri series kicking off in Rarotonga this Friday 18 November. The series is between the local Cook Islands side and two other teams of Cook Islanders coming in from Australia and New Zealand, who are called Cook Islands Style and New Zealand Cooks, respectively.
The tri series will attract many of our rugby league stars including NRL hotshots back to the Cook Islands and it will be a great opportunity to watch them in action.
The Australians are bringing a young development side but their squad will still be riddled with international Cook Islanders. Star players Marty Mitchell of the Canterbury Bulldogs and Peter Lewis from the Paramatta Eels will be travelling with the team.
The New Zealand side will be here in full force to defend their series title with Cook Islands international captain George Tuakura, who is now contracted to the Warriors, leading them.
The kiwi squad will be made up of Bartercard players and includes a couple of national junior representatives. The local squad is yet to be named but Darren Piri, successful coach for the Tupapa Panthers this season, has taken over the reigns as coach. The local boys are going into the competition as underdogs, though a number are fighting fit from taking part in the international sevens. They will have to put on an extraordinary performance to prove that they are worthy of international selection.
The three local stars - Victor Ioane, Mana Hosking and Turori Matutu - who shone out in the New Zealand Maori tour, will certainly be spurring on their team mates to rise to the occasion.
The local side will also have a couple of secret weapons in the form of professional Tere Glassie, ex-NRL player now with Oldham in England, plus Warriors veteran second rower Wairangi Koopu, who was named NRL's most durable player of the year.
CIRL officials are still awaiting clearance and release of Koopu so he can play for the locals.
Amongst those organising the tri series are big leaque guns Kevin Iro, Roy Kinikinilau and level three development officer Ina Konito.
They say the series is partly designed to inspire younger players and while in Rarotonga, many of the visitors are helping with youth training and development.
The Cook Islands team will play Australia this Friday 18 November and Australia will play New Zealand on Monday 21 November. The final game between New Zealand and the Cook Islands will be played on Friday 25 November. All matches will be at the national stadium. - John Woods

and

Two rugby league squads named

15 November: Two squads have been named for the Cook Islands rugby league tri series to be played on 18, 21 and 25 November in Rarotonga.
Local players in the Cook Islands resident squad are asked to turn up for training on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 November at 5pm sharp (papa'a time). Coach Darren Piri says non-attendance will be deemed as not available unless arrangements have been made with him directly.
Squad members are:
Titikaveka: Teina Ataera, Lloyd Matapo, Travel Tou, and William Taringa. Ngatangiia/Matavera: Thomas Toa and Tamore Tangata. Takuvaine: Mana Hosking, Allan Tuara, Alfred Manu, and Fred Charlie. Avatiu: Kete Winchester, Bruce Goldsworthy, Jason Tou, Victor Ioane and Anthony Tereora. Arorangi: Spoon Marsters, Ken Mataroa and Papa Mataroa. Tupapa: Mana Natini, George Woonton, Trends Poila, John Paul Teatai, Turori Matutu, Andrew Iroa, Teokotai Tuaivi, Sonny Rarawa and Bilsy Gukisuva.
Training is open to other players to participate if they feel like a run or to try and impress the selectors for the league squad.
The Cook Islands Style (Australia) squad is:
Timo Anatonia, Byron Ford, Nathan Ford, Ruben Enoka, Nono Nataa-Ngaa, Leeroy Masters, Marty Mitchell, John Makai, Stacey Katu, Poareu Mika, Zeb Taia, Peter Lewis, Tere Glassie, Damien Takurua, Graeme Jeffries, Tangata Raela, Apii Kora and Turamaki Tangaroa. - CIRL

 

[Mr_Ugly]

From the same source:




Kangaroos win first test

21 November: The Cook Islands Resident XIII couldn’t tie the Kangaroos down as they bounced off to their first win in the Avaiki tri series 24 -18 last Friday.
The Australian based Cook Islands side known as CI Style displayed some good skills of rugby league but credit must go to both teams for playing the game with brilliance and passion.
The local side led by Tere Glassie, back from England for the tri series, made some basic errors in the early minutes of the game. They got severely punished by CI Styles who scored two tries to lead 12-0 within the first seven minutes. Those quick tries kept the local supporters quiet and eventually proved very costly for the local boys.
But the local boys bounced back with an unconverted try, to which the Aussies replied with another try to give them a comfortable lead at half time.
The Resident XIII finally woke up in the last quarter and fought back with a couple of quick tries to close the score of 18-20. The local boys threw everything at CI Styles but their defence held and eventually it was the Resident XIII that cracked. They fumbled the ball around the ruck, dropped catches and failed to complete their sets in those crucial last minutes.
With three minutes left on the clock, CI Styles captain and NRL player Peter Lewis from the Parramata Eels crashed through a weak defence and scored the final try to seal the match 24–18.
The Australian CI Style will now take on NZ Cooks today (Monday) and with strong rivalry between the two countries, some fireworks are expected.
CI Style would like to seal this tri series with a second win and take the trophy off the NZ Cooks.
However, the in-form NZ Cooks is here for a purpose and that is to defend their title. So be there for the big game this evening at the National Stadium, kick off at 5.30pm. The final game of the Cook Islands tri series will be between the Resident XIII and NZ Cooks on Friday. — CC




Flightless Kiwis outplayed by stylish Aussies

23 November: The Australians proved that they are still the best when it comes to playing league after they outplayed the flightless Kiwis for a 26-14 win on Tuesday evening.
The NZ Cooks, who are the defending champions, couldn’t fend off the onslaught from a well drilled Australian CI Style side.
While CI Style won the game comfortably in the end, they were rocked in the early minutes when NZ Cooks fullback Tokoiva Repera bust through a weak defence to score under the post. A successful conversion from their centre Sema Mataora put the NZ Cooks on board 6-0.
Some big hits came from both sides but the NZ Cooks’ flying winger John Nanai used his speed and strength to fend off the defence to score in the corner, edging them to a 10-0 lead after 15minutes. CI Style replied with a well executed try from their centre Graham Jefferies to put them on the board 10-4 at half time.
This second test was more like the game of two halves.
CI Style wasted no time in attacking from kick off and their danger man Marti Mitchell with the big step sliced through the defence to cross the line for a try three minutes from kick off. With the successful conversion from Walter Dean the score leveled at 10-10.
From then on it was all Australia playing in style as they scored three unanswered tries to give them a comfortable lead 22-10.
NZ Cooks desperately trying to defend their title managed to score a try through their captain Henry Turua to close the score 22-14. However, CI Style proved too strong as they buried the Kiwis’ hope with another try to their young winger Turumaki Tamangaro to finish the game 26-14.
The NZ Cooks will now play the Resident XIII on Friday at 5.30pm at the National Stadium.
With these two teams both losing their games to CI Style, the pressure is definitely on to win.
After narrowly losing to CI Style, the Resident XIII is expected to fire back and score their first win against the visitors. Apparently, these two teams have met three times in the past two years and the Resident XIII has never been able to topple the brothers from NZ.
So come down and support the local boys take on NZ Cooks. — Can’t Wait.

 

[carlnz]

This is the right way to do it, i think the Cook Islands are leading the way in the Pacific, now Tonga, Samoa and Fiji need to follow lead to create a stronger National side and create depth.

 

[playdaball]

wAIRANGI kOOPU in the team??? He is a NZ Maori (Mean Maori Mean)

 

[magpie_man]

This is the right way to do it, i think the Cook Islands are leading the way in the Pacific, now Tonga, Samoa and Fiji need to follow lead to create a stronger National side and create depth.

i agree. imo this is a really, really good idea and will only strengthen the cook islands rugby league team and create depth.
what is really encouraging is how competitive the cook island residents were, i would have expected them to get flogged by the aussie and kiwi based teams.