# Cook Islands national rugby league team

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 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, 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.

### 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.

## Players
### Current squad

The Cook Islands squad for the 2024 Pacific Championships. The squad was announced on 9 October 2024.
Statistics in this table are compiled from the website, Rugby League Project.
| J# | Player | Age | Position(s) | Cook Islands | Cook Islands | Cook Islands | Cook Islands | Cook Islands | Cook Islands | Club | NRL | NRL | SL | SL | Other Reps |
| J# | Player | Age | Position(s) | Dbt | M | T | G | F | P | Club | CM | TM | CM | TM | Other Reps |
| 7 | Esan Marsters | 28 | Fullback, Halfback | 2015 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Huddersfield Giants | 0 | 86 | 39 | 39 | 6 4 |
| 2 | Steven Marsters | 25 | Wing | 2019 | 10 | 5 | 29 | 0 | 78 | Thirroul Butchers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Reubenn Rennie | 29 | Centre | 2016 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Toulouse Olympique | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Delahia Wigmore | — | Centre, Lock | 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Canberra Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | Esom Ioka | 21 | Wing, Fullback | 2023 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14 | Western Clydesdales | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Brad Takairangi | 35 | Five-eighth, Centre | 2009 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 10 | South West Goannas | 0 | 178 | 0 | 24 | 4 2 |
| 15 | Mason Teague | 21 | Halfback, Lock | 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Dolphins (NRL) | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | Tepai Moeroa | 29 | Prop | 2019 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Melbourne Storm | 22 | 134 | 0 | 0 | 1 1 |
| 9 | Rua Ngatikaura | 24 | Hooker | 2022 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | North Sydney Bears | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Davvy Moale | 21 | Prop | 2022 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 54 | 54 | 0 | 0 | |
| 21 | Alex Glenn | 36 | Second-row | 2017 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | | 0 | 285 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Reuben Porter | 27 | Second-row | 2017 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Wests Tigers | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Pride Petterson-Robati | 29 | Lock, Prop | 2019 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Souths Logan Magpies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Zane Tetevano | 33 | Second-row, Prop | 2009 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 0 | 121 | 0 | 46 | 3 1 |
| 16 | Rhys Dakin | — | Prop | 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Newtown Jets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 18 | Junior Teroi | — | Hooker, Second-row | 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bulimba Valley Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 20 | Makahesi Makatoa | 31 | Prop | 2015 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Parramatta Eels | 56 | 56 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Rixson Andrew | — | Wing, Fullback | 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Souths Logan Magpies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 17 | Justin Makirere | — | Prop | 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ipswich Jets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | Kobe Tararo | 25 | Second-row | 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Souths Logan Magpies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | Malachi Morgan | — | Wing | 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Helensvale Hornets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | Xavier Willison | 22 | Prop | 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Brisbane Broncos | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Notes
* Clubs outside the NRL and Super League are shaded in the above table.
* Three members of the squad have previously played for another national team.
** New Zealand (3): Marsters, Takairangi, Tetevano
* Five squad members have played for other representative teams:
** Māori All Stars (4): Marsters, Takairangi, Tetevano, Willison
** NRL All Stars team (1): Moeroa
** Prime Minister's XIII (1): Moeroa
* Two squad members played for northern hemisphere clubs in 2024: Esan Marsters for Huddersfield Giants and Reubenn Rennie for Toulouse Olympique.
* Eight squad members played in NSWRL competitions during 2024. Four also played in NRL matches. Three played in NSW Cup matches only: Rhys Dakin (Newtown Jets), Ruatapu Ngatikaura (North Sydney Bears), and Zane Tetevano (Canterbury Bulldogs). Delahia Wigmore played Jersey Flegg for Canberra.
* Six members played in the 2024 Queensland Cup: Esom Ioka (Western Clydesdales), Justin Makirere (Ipswich Jets), Kobe Tararo and Rixson Andrew (both Souths Logan Magpies). Two also played in NRL matches.
* Five members played in lower tiers: Steven Marsters for Thirroul Butchers in Illawarra, Malachi Morgan for Helensvale Hornets on the Gold Coast, Brad Takairangi for the South West Goannas in Macarthur, Junior Teroi for Bulimba Valley Bulldogs in Brisbane A Grade, and Zane Tetevano for Wyong Roos in Newcastle.

## 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.
| 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 Residents | 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 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1957 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1960 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1968 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1970 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1972 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1975 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1977 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1985–88 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1989–92 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1995 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2000 | Group stage | 13th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 38 | 144 |
| 2008 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2013 | Group stage | 9th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 64 | 78 |
| 2017 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 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)

## IRL Rankings

IRL Men's World Rankingsvte :
| Official rankings as of 30 June 2024 ||||
| Rank | Change | Team | Pts % |
| 1 | | Australia | 100 |
| 2 | | New Zealand | 82 |
| 3 | | England | 80 |
| 4 | | Samoa | 67 |
| 5 | | Tonga | 49 |
| 6 | 1 | Fiji | 47 |
| 7 | 1 | Papua New Guinea | 46 |
| 8 | | France | 28 |
| 9 | | Lebanon | 22 |
| 10 | | Cook Islands | 20 |
| 11 | | Serbia | 19 |
| 12 | | Netherlands | 17 |
| 13 | | Italy | 15 |
| 14 | 1 | Greece | 15 |
| 15 | 1 | Malta | 14 |
| 16 | | Ireland | 14 |
| 17 | | Wales | 13 |
| 18 | | Jamaica | 10 |
| 19 | | Scotland | 9 |
| 20 | | Ukraine | 7 |
| 21 | | Czech Republic | 7 |
| 22 | | Germany | 6 |
| 23 | 3 | Chile | 6 |
| 24 | | Poland | 6 |
| 25 | 3 | Norway | 6 |
| 26 | 1 | Kenya | 5 |
| 27 | 4 | Philippines | 5 |
| 28 | 3 | South Africa | 4 |
| 29 | | Nigeria | 4 |
| 30 | | Ghana | 4 |
| 31 | 2 | United States | 4 |
| 32 | 4 | Montenegro | 4 |
| 33 | 2 | Brazil | 3 |
| 34 | 2 | Turkey | 3 |
| 35 | 7 | North Macedonia | 3 |
| 36 | 2 | Bulgaria | 3 |
| 37 | 2 | Cameroon | 2 |
| 38 | 1 | Spain | 2 |
| 39 | 1 | Japan | 1 |
| 40 | 1 | Albania | 1 |
| 41 | 5 | Canada | 1 |
| 42 | 2 | Colombia | 1 |
| 43 | 2 | El Salvador | 1 |
| 44 | 1 | Morocco | 1 |
| 45 | | Russia | 0 |
| 46 | 2 | Sweden | 0 |
| 47 | 2 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0 |
| 48 | 2 | Hungary | 0 |
| 49 | 3 | Argentina | 0 |
| 50 | | Hong Kong | 0 |
| 51 | 3 | Solomon Islands | 0 |
| 52 | 5 | Niue | 0 |
| 53 | 1 | Latvia | 0 |
| 54 | 1 | Denmark | 0 |
| 55 | 6 | Belgium | 0 |
| 56 | 1 | Estonia | 0 |
| 57 | 6 | Vanuatu | 0 |
| Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT ||||