Rugby league: Cook Islands secure World Cup spot

Cook Islands Qualify for IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026

The Cook Islands secured their place in the IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026 by defeating South Africa 58-6 in the RLWC26 qualifying match held on Sunday at CommBank Stadium in Sydney.

Match Highlights and Qualification

The Cook Islands team, known as the Aitu, dominated the second half to claim a decisive victory, becoming the 14th nation to qualify for the tournament. They will join Australia, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, and Wales as the 10 men's teams competing in the World Cup next season.

Player Reactions

"Going to the World Cup, it's massive for us," said KL Iro, a Cronulla Sharks player in the National Rugby League. "We spoke about it over the last four weeks. Really stoked to get this, this reward. I thought we were punishing ourselves, like the last couple games in Fiji and Papua New Guinea."
Brendan Piakura added, "I'm excited, exciting times." He noted that their time together in Rarotonga, after completing the Pacific Bowl campaign two weekends earlier, contributed significantly to their success.

Team Preparation and Commitment

The Cook Islands' strong performance reflects their dedication and the effective team cohesion developed recently, which played a key role in their qualification for the World Cup.

Summary: The Cook Islands secured a commanding World Cup 2026 spot by defeating South Africa, with players emphasizing team unity and the importance of their recent preparations.

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RNZ RNZ — 2025-11-09

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