Test Rugby: Cooks and Niue play in Auckland.

27.06.2009
Cook Islands v Niue in Pukekohe, NZ (WCQ Oceania SF 1)

Venue: Growers Stadium

Referee: Benjamin Skeen (New Zealand)

Preview
Last year the Cook Islands selected a team of only local players when they faced Niue in the Oceania Cup semi-final. The result was they lost! Will they pick their strongest team with a full complement of New Zealand-based players? I reckon they will!

And they do. "Local rugby players Bruce Goldsworthy and Turori Matutu are currently in Auckland as members of the national squad which will take on Niue at the weekend in the Oceania Cup East play off. The pair are the only Rarotonga-based players in the team and they have joined other Cook Islands players from Australia and New Zealand, at their camp in Pukekohe." from http://www.cookislandsnews.com/sports.htm#16

So the Cooks Island team will be a lot stronger than the team of 2008.


Last Five Encounters
16.08.2008 Niue 18-7 in Rarotonga (FORU Cup, East)
06.08.2005 Cook Islands 24-5 in Rarotonga (WCQ Oceania R1B)
28.08.2004 Cook Islands 50-5 in Rarotonga (Oceania Cup, East)
06.09.2003 Niue 17-14 in Auckland (Oceania Cup, East)
09.06.2001 Cook Islands 28-8 in Paliati (WCQ Oceania R1, Sect.A)


GWC Rugby Rankings: Oceania Table-Niue 6th, Cook Islands 7th


Prediction: Cook Islanders wont let this one get away from them, to win by 20 points.


Teams not yet available