Rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

is the most popular

team sport A team sport includes any sport where individuals are organized into opposing sports team, teams which compete to win or cooperate to entertain their audience. Team members act together towards a shared objective. This can be done in a numb ...

played in the

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

. Rugby league is recognised as the national sport of the country.

Popularity

History

Officially the club rugby league competition commenced in 1980. The first international match was played against Niue at the

1986 Pacific Cup The 1986 Pacific Cup was the 3rd Pacific Cup, a rugby league tournament held between Pacific teams. The tournament was hosted in the Cook Islands and eventually won by the New Zealand Māori side, who defeated Western Samoa in the final. Backgrou ...

, which was hosted in Rarotonga and also included teams from Samoa, Tonga, NZ Maori and Tokelau. In the mid 1990s rugby league received significant funding through the SuperLeague organisation. Traditionally, 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 Leslie Iro (born 24 May 1968), also known by the nickname of '"The Beast", is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, and coached in the 2000s. He played at representative level for New Zeala ...

and

Matt Rua Matthew Rua (born 20 July 1977) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A New Zealand international representative forward, he played in the National Rugby League for the Melbourne Storm, w ...

- both native Cook Islanders - in the form of selector and defensive coach for the national side.CI Daily Herald
/ref> Both players represented New Zealand internationally and played many NRL games. Rugby league is the national sport and the most popular sport in the Cook Islands.

Staff

* President, Cook Islands Rugby League: Charles Carlson * Selectors:

, Charles Carlson, Ina Konito and No'ora Samuela * RLIF Representative:

* Head Coach:

Tony Iro Tony Roy Iro (born 30 May 1967) is a professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Cook Islands national rugby league team and a former professional rugby league footballer. He is a former New Zealand international representativ ...

* Defensive Coach:

* Attacking Coach:

Current players of Cook Islands descent

NRL *

Alex Glenn Alex Glenn (born 31 July 1988) is a former professional rugby league footballer who captained and played as a and for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. He has played for both the and at international level. Background Glenn was born in Auckl ...

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (born 2 August 1995) is a professional rugby league footballer from New Zealand who plays as a for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for the Cook Islands, New Zealand, and the N ...

* Jordan Rapana *

Josh Papalii Josh Papali'i (born 13 May 1992) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for both Australia and Samoa at international level. He has played at repres ...

Dylan Napa Dylan Napa (born 13 November 1992) is a Cook Islands international rugby league footballer who last played as a for the Catalans Dragons in the Super League. Napa has previously played for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and the Sydney Roos ...

Karmichael Hunt Karmichael Neil Matthew Hunt (born 17 November 1986) is a former multi-code international rugby league footballer who last played for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. Having played professional rugby league, rugby union and Australian rules ...

* Sione Katoa * Brandon Smith *

Valentine Holmes Valentine Holmes (born 24 July 1995) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays across the backline as a or er for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL and Australia at international level. He began his career with the ...

* Esan Marsters *

Francis Molo Francis Molo (born 3 September 1994) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL. He has played for both the Cook Islands and Samoa at international level. He previously played for ...

* Marata Niukore *

Troy Dargan Troy Dargan (born 15 October 1997) is a Cook Islands international rugby league footballer who plays as a or for the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles in the NSW Cup. He previously played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the National Rugby League ...

* Steven Marsters * Joseph Manu *

James Tamou James Tamou (born 13 December 1988) is an Australia international professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League. He previously played for the North Queensland Cowboys and was ...

Super League The Super League (officially known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred and legally known as Super League Europe), is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of wh ...

Drury Low Drury Low (born 2 April 1990) is a Cook Islands international rugby league footballer who plays for the Narellan Jets in the Group 6 Rugby League and previously with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby L ...

* Jordan Rapana * Zane Tetevano * Dominique Peyroux * Adam Tangata

Notable players

* Adam Watene *

* John Whittaker * Tiri Toa * Meti Noovao *

Riki Cowan Areariki Arthur Cowan "Riki" Cowan (born 28 December 1963) is a New Zealand rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Playing career Cowan represented Auckland and the New Zealand Māori side before being select ...

Denvour Johnston Denvour Francis Johnston is a New Zealand rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand in 1993. Playing career Johnston played for the Randwick Kingfishers club in the Wellington Rugby League competition. He represented the Cook Islands a ...

* Ali Davys *

Aaron Cannings Aaron Cannings (born 26 October 1981) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s, as a . He played for the Northern Eagles, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Parramatta Eels and the Gold Coast Titan ...

Karl Temata Karl Temata (born 12 July 1978) is a former Cook Islands international rugby league footballer who played as a or er in the 2000s and 2010s. He played at club level for the Hibiscus Coast Raiders, New Zealand Warriors, London Broncos/ Harlequ ...

* Ben Vaeau * George Tuakura * Frank Watene * Kane Epati *

Leroy Joe Leroy Joe is a former Cook Islands international rugby league footballer who played as a in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. He played at club level in England for Whitehaven ( League 1), and Hull Kingston Rovers. Background Joe was born in New Zea ...

Tyrone Pau Tyrone Pau (birth unknown) is a former professional rugby league who played in the 2000s. He played at representative level for the Cook Islands, Auckland and the New Zealand Residents, and at club level for the Hibiscus Coast Raiders, Limoux Gri ...

Competition

The domestic Cook Islands rugby league competition begins in early February on a yearly basis. The Tournament is arguably the biggest sporting competition in the Cook Islands with hundreds attending games on the Islands of Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Grand Final weekend builds the biggest hype among supporters of every team ranging from its junior levels, reserve grade and the main A grade (Premier level).

Men Teams

* Titikaveka Bulldogs * Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers * Avatiu/Nikao Eels * Takuvaine Warriors * Arorangi Bears *

Aitutaki Sharks Aitutaki, also traditionally known as Araura and Utataki, is the second most-populated island in the Cook Islands, after Rarotonga. It is an "almost atoll", with fifteen islets in a lagoon adjacent to the main island. Total land area is , and the ...

(Premier Squad Only) * Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles

Winners

*1992 Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles *1993 Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles *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 *1999 Avatiu/Nikao Eels *2000 Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles *2001 Titikaveka Bulldogs *2002 Titikaveka Bulldogs *2003 Arorangi Bears *2004 Avatiu/Nikao Eels *2005 Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers *2006 Avatiu/Nikao Eels *2007 Avatiu/Nikao Eels *2008 Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers *2009 Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers *2010 Avatiu/Nikao Eels *2011 Avatiu/Nikao Eels *2012 Titikaveka Bulldogs *2013 Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers *2014 Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers *2015 Avatiu/Nikao Eels *2016 Avatiu/Nikao Eels *2017 Titivakeva Bulldogs *2018 Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers *2019 Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles *2020 (Season Suspended due to COVID) Ngatangiia/Matavera Sea Eagles retain Premiership *2021 Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers *2022 (Season Suspended due to COVID in the country) Tupapa Maraerenga Panthers retain Premiership

Women's Teams

* Titikaveka Lady Bulldogs * Tupapa Maraerenga Lady Panthers * Avatiu/Nikao Lady Eels * Arorangi Lady Bears

Winners

*2021 Titikaveka Lady Bulldogs *2022 (Season Suspended due to COVID in the country) Titikaveka Lady Bulldogs retain Premiership

The National Team

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 Māori

Results

NZ Cooks v Resident XIII, 25 November 2005 Australian Cook Island Style 26 NZ Cooks 14 Australian Cook Island Style 24 Residents XIII 18, 18 November 2005 changed

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rugby League in the Cook Islands