Rugby league in the Cook Islands
Encyclopedia
Rugby league
is a popular team sport
played in the Cook Islands
.
In more recent times Cook Islands rugby league has received a major boost through the involvement of former professional rugby league players Kevin Iro
and Matt Rua
(both native Cook Islanders) in the form of selector and defensive coach for the national side. Both players represented New Zealand internationally and played many NRL games.
Karl Temata
Byron Ford
Zeb Taia
Frank Pritchard
Stacey Katu
Ben Vaeau
Tere Glassie
George Tuakura
Frank Watene
Kane Epati
Keith Lulia
Leroy Joe
Dana Wilson
Geoff Daniela
Tyrone Pau
Australian Cook Island Style 26 NZ Cooks 14
Australian Cook Island Style 24 Residents XIII 18, November 18, 2005 changed
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
is a popular team sport
Team sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
played in the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
.
History
Officially the club rugby league competition commenced 1980. The first international match was played against Niue at the 1986 Pacific Cup which was hosted in Rarotonga and also included teams from: Samoa, Tonga, NZ Maori, Tokelau, . In the mid 1990s Rugby League in the Cook Islands received significant funding through the SuperLeague organisation however money from this source is no longer available. Also a fall in the population has made it difficult to muster rugby league playing numbers in the Cook Islands themselves. Much of the rugby league played by Cook Islanders has been in Australia and New Zealand where there are strong Cook Island populations.In more recent times Cook Islands rugby league has received a major boost through the involvement of former professional rugby league players Kevin Iro
Kevin Iro
Kevin Leslie Iro is a former professional rugby league international footballer who has representated both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. In his domestic career, his achievements include playing in the Challenge Cup final for Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens.Iro is the younger brother of New Zealand...
and Matt Rua
Matt Rua
Matthew Rua is a former professional rugby league player.-Playing career:Rua was a Manly Warringah Sea Eagles junior in 1996 and played for the Junior Kiwis....
(both native Cook Islanders) in the form of selector and defensive coach for the national side. Both players represented New Zealand internationally and played many NRL games.
Staff
- President, Cook Islands Rugby League: Charles Carlson
- Selectors: Kevin IroKevin IroKevin Leslie Iro is a former professional rugby league international footballer who has representated both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. In his domestic career, his achievements include playing in the Challenge Cup final for Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens.Iro is the younger brother of New Zealand...
, Charles Carlson, Ina Konito and No'ora Samuela - RLIF Representative: Kevin IroKevin IroKevin Leslie Iro is a former professional rugby league international footballer who has representated both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. In his domestic career, his achievements include playing in the Challenge Cup final for Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens.Iro is the younger brother of New Zealand...
- Head Coach: Ina Konito
- Defensive Coach: Matty Rua
- Attacking Coach: Kevin IroKevin IroKevin Leslie Iro is a former professional rugby league international footballer who has representated both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. In his domestic career, his achievements include playing in the Challenge Cup final for Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens.Iro is the younger brother of New Zealand...
Cook Islander Rugby League Players
Aaron CanningsAaron Cannings
Aaron Cannings is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer for the Gold Coast Titans of the National Rugby League. He used to play for the Parramatta Eels and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He played for the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the 2011 Queensland Cup.-External links:**...
Karl Temata
Karl Temata
Karl Temata is a New Zealand rugby league player. Temata is a Cook Islands international.-Playing career:...
Byron Ford
Byron Ford
Byron Ford is a rugby league player for the Newtown Jets in the second tier NSW Cup competition in which he played in the grand final in 2008. He was previously playing in England with Hull KR and Oldham Roughyeds, helping the Roughyeds get to the 2007 National League 2 Grand Final...
Zeb Taia
Zeb Taia
John Zebelon "Zeb" Taia is a professional rugby league player for the Newcastle Knights who has represented New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Taia plays as a second-row, but can also play lock.-Playing career:...
Frank Pritchard
Frank Pritchard
Frank Pritchard is an Australian born New Zealand professional rugby league footballer currently playing for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the National Rugby League . He is of Samoan descent...
Stacey Katu
Stacey Katu
Stacey Katu is a rugby league player for the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup. He has also played for the Cook Islands national rugby league team.- External links :* http://www.rleague.com/db/player/k/katu_stacey/index.php*...
Ben Vaeau
Ben Vaeau
Ben Vaeau is a rugby league player who currently plays for Brisbane Easts in the Queensland Cup. His position of preference is at prop.-Playing career:Vaeau played for the Manukau Magpies in the 2002 Auckland Rugby League competition....
Tere Glassie
Tere Glassie
-Playing career:Glassie learned his trade with South Sydney, playing 3 first grade games with the Rabbitohs before further stints with Balmain Tigers, Newtown Jets and Wests Magpies. He then moved to the United Kingdom and played for Oldham, Leigh, Castleford Tigers and the Dewsbury Rams...
George Tuakura
George Tuakura
George Tuakura is a Cook Islands rugby league player who currently plays for the Central Comets in the Queensland Cup...
Frank Watene
Frank Watene
Frank Watene is a professional rugby league footballer who at has played for the Auckland Warriors, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Castleford Tigers, Dewsbury Rams, and Halifax RLFC at club level, playing at Prop forward or Second-row forward.-Early years:...
Kane Epati
Kane Epati
Kane Epati is a rugby league player. Orgininally a rugby union player in his native Samoa he now plays Rugby league for Dewsbury Rams in Championship 1 in England following stints at Doncaster Lakers, Hull Kingston Rovers where he was part of the Northern Rail Cup winning squad in 2005 and French...
Keith Lulia
Keith Lulia
Keith Lulia is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Bradford Bulls in the English Super League. He previously played for the St...
Leroy Joe
Leroy Joe
Leroy Joe is a rugby league footballer who previously played half back for Whitehaven in England, National League One League Division. He is of Cook Island Heritage...
Dana Wilson
Dana Wilson (rugby league)
Jonathan Wilson was a professional rugby league player who represented the Cook Islands.-Playing career:...
Geoff Daniela
Geoff Daniela
Geoff Daniela is a rugby league player who currently plays for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League . Daniela is a Cook Islands international....
Tyrone Pau
Tyrone Pau
Tyrone Pau is a Cook Islander former professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Cook Islands, playing at , or .-Playing career:...
Notable players
- Kevin IroKevin IroKevin Leslie Iro is a former professional rugby league international footballer who has representated both New Zealand and the Cook Islands. In his domestic career, his achievements include playing in the Challenge Cup final for Leeds, Wigan and St. Helens.Iro is the younger brother of New Zealand...
- Adam WateneAdam WateneAdam Watene was a Cook Islands rugby league player. He played as a prop for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Bradford Bulls, Castleford Tigers and represented the Cook Islands.-Career:...
- Matt RuaMatt RuaMatthew Rua is a former professional rugby league player.-Playing career:Rua was a Manly Warringah Sea Eagles junior in 1996 and played for the Junior Kiwis....
- John WhittakerJohn Whittaker (rugby league)John Albert Whittaker is a former New Zealand rugby league player who represented both New Zealand and the Cook Islands.-Playing career:From the Randwick club, Whittaker also played for Wellington...
- Tiri ToaTiri ToaTiri Toa is a Cook Islander professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Cook Islands, playing at .-International honours:Tiri Toa won a cap for Cook Islands in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.-External links:**...
- Riki CowanRiki CowanAreariki Arthur Cowan "Riki" Cowan is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand and the Cook Islands.-Playing career:...
- Tony IroTony IroTony Roy Iro is the Assistant Coach of the New Zealand Warriors, selector and Assistant Coach of the New Zealand national rugby league team and a former rugby league player...
- Karmichael HuntKarmichael HuntKarmichael Neil Matthew Hunt is an Australian professional multi-code football player, currently playing Australian rules football for the newly formed Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League ....
- Denvour JohnstonDenvour JohnstonDenvour Francis Johnston is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in 1993.-Playing career:Johnston played for the Randwick Kingfishers club in the Wellington Rugby League competition...
- Ali Davys
Competition
The domestic Cook Islands rugby league competition for 2010 begins on February 5 with the following teams competing:Teams
- Titikaveka Bulldogs
- Tupapa Panthers
- Avatiu Eels
- Takuvaine Warriors - juniors only
- Arorangi Bears
- Aitutaki Sharks - senior team only
- Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles
Winners
- 1994 Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles
- 1995 Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles
- 1996 Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles
- 1997 Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles
- 1998 Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles - 26-25 - Titikaveka Bulldogs
- 1999 Avatiu Eels - bt - Arorangi Bears
- 2000
- 2001 Titikaveka Bulldogs - 33-8 - Aviatu Eels
- 2002 Titikaveka Bulldogs
- 2003 Arorangi Bears - 35-34 - Tupapa Panthers
- 2004 Avatiu Eels - 14-8 - Tupapa Panthers
- 2005 Tupapa Panthers - 24-12 - Titikaveka Bulldogs
- 2006 Avatiu Eels - 28-24 - St.George Pitbulls
- 2007 Avatiu Eels - 22-17 - Arorangi Bears
- 2008 Tupapa Panthers - 21-6 - Avatiu Eels
- 2009 Tupapa Panthers - 25-16 - Avatiu Eels
- 2010 Avatiu Eels - 28-16- Tupapa Panthers
Other Representative Sides
In 2005 the Cook Islands Rugby League Avaiki XIII Tri Series was played between three Cook Island sides (Australian Cook Island Style, NZ Cooks and a Resident XIII). The winners of the series were the Australian Cook Islands Style team. This was used to select the national side that drew a three match series with the New Zealand MāoriNew Zealand Maori
New Zealand Māori can refer to:* People of Māori descent* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori rugby league team* New Zealand Māori cricket team...
Results
NZ Cooks v Resident XIII, November 25, 2005Australian Cook Island Style 26 NZ Cooks 14
Australian Cook Island Style 24 Residents XIII 18, November 18, 2005 changed
See also
- Sport in the Cook IslandsSport in the Cook IslandsRugby union is the most popular sport in the Cook Islands with association football and rugby league also popular. In September 2009, the country hosted the 2009 Pacific Mini Games.-Rugby union:The Cook Islands is a tier three rugby union playing nation...