Rugby league: Cook Islands secure World Cup spot

Cook Islands Secure Spot at IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026

The Cook Islands rugby league men's team has qualified for the IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026 after a dominant 58-6 victory over South Africa in the qualifying match held at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Sunday.

The team, known as the Aitu, joins Australia, England, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, and Wales as one of the 10 men's teams competing in the World Cup at the end of next season.

Strong Second-Half Performance

Cook Islands secured their qualification as the 14th nation to qualify for RLWC26 by delivering a powerful second-half surge against South Africa.

"Going to the World Cup, it's massive for us," said KL Iro, who plays for the Cronulla Sharks in the National Rugby League competition. "We spoke about it over the last four weeks. Really stoked to get this, this reward."

Iro also reflected on the team's tough preparation in recent matches: "I thought we were punishing ourselves, like the last couple games in Fiji and Papua New Guinea."

Team Cohesion Pays Off

Teammate Brendan Piakura highlighted the importance of the time spent together in Rarotonga after their Pacific Bowl campaign ended two weekends earlier.

"I'm excited, exciting times," said Piakura, acknowledging how the team's recent experiences strengthened their performance.

Photo Credit

Photo of the Cook Islands rugby league men’s team at the recent Pacific Championships provided by NRL/CIRL.

Author's summary: The Cook Islands' decisive win against South Africa clinched their 2026 Rugby League World Cup place, showcasing their strong team unity and determination.

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RNZ RNZ — 2025-11-09

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