COOK ISLANDS 58 SOUTH AFRICA 6
TOM SMITH, CommBank Stadium, Parramatta, Sunday

COOK ISLANDS became the tenth and final team to book their place at the 2026 World Cup, overpowering South Africa in the southern hemisphere inter-confederation playoff.

Scrum-half Esan Marsters pulled the strings with five try assists and a four-pointer himself, while halves partner Cassius Cowley and back-rower Marata Niukore both bagged braces.

The Rhinos did well to compete with the Aitu deep into the first half, on the end of Luke Pereira De Vlieg’s stunning 18th-minute equaliser.

But the game swung when Aden Perry’s shoulder charge landed him in the sin bin, helping Esan Marsters and Marata Niukore cross before the break.

The Cook Islands then ran in seven tries in the final half hour to seal their qualification in style, joining Australia, England, Fiji, France, Lebanon, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.

It means former Kangaroos star Valentine Holmes will line up for the Aitu at next year’s World Cup, joining fellow NRL aces Niukore, KL Iro and Brendan Piakura in pledging their allegiance to his nation of heritage.

On the back of a mid-week warm-up loss to Pacific minnows Niue, South Africa entered this World Cup qualifier as huge underdogs.

Coached by Kiwi Darryl Fisher, the Rhinos’ squad was made up mainly of local-league players from Queensland and New South Wales who have South African heritage through their families.

Two South Africa-based players – Marcelle Corneelsen and Niel Beukes – represented the semi-professional Rhino Cup, while North Sydney Bears player of the year Coby Thomas added class in the halves.

Cook Islands boss Karmichael Hunt, on the other hand, named a strong team laced with NRL experience.

Spearheaded by Iro, Piakura and Niukore, the Aitu pushed Fiji and Papua New Guinea in high-scoring Pacific Bowl battles last month, before preparing for this vital match with a trip home to Rarotonga.

Marsters put Paul Ulberg into the right corner for the opener with a lovely floating pass.

But the Rhinos hit back with a brilliant try through fullback Pereira De Vlieg, who raced onto a Thomas kick from long range.

Beukes’ conversion gave the outsiders a slender advantage as the clock ticked towards the 30-minute mark.

But Davvy Moale crashed over before Perry’s sin-binning shifted the momentum.

Marsters touched down then sent Niukore in while the Rhinos were down to 12 before the break.

And after the restart, the Cook Islands halfback had the ball on a string as his side ran riot.

First Cowley backed up Rua Ngatikaura to release Iro, Piakura split South Africa right up the middle and Cowley dummied his way through from a scrum inside their own half.

Marsters’ skill and creativity came to the fore when he assisted Niukore and Mason Teague with perfectly-timed passes.

But his deft delayed ball to Cowley for the stand-off’s second was the pick of the lot.

And with 30 seconds left, a Thomas knock-on handed the Aitu one final chance, which Ngatikaura gleefully accepted.

GAMESTAR: Aitu halfback Esan Marsters assisted an extraordinary five tries with his expert passing game and scored one of his own.

GAMEBREAKER: Rua Ngatikaura’s 80th-minute score ended the Cook Islands’ 11-try demolition.

MATCHFACTS
COOK ISLANDS
1 Esom Ioka (Northern Pride)
2 Paul Ulberg (Toulouse Olympique)
3 KL Iro (Cronulla Sharks)
4 Reubenn Rennie (Toulouse Olympique)
5 Teapo Stoltman (Souths Logan Magpies)
6 Cassius Cowley (Wynnum-Manly Seagulls)
7 Esan Marsters (Salford Red Devils)
8 Makahesi Makatoa (Sydney Roosters)
9 Mason Teague (Newcastle Knights)
10 Davvy Moale (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
11 Brendan Piakura (Brisbane Broncos)
12 Marata Niukore (New Zealand Warriors)
13 Pride Petterson-Robati (Souths Logan Magpies)
Subs (all used)
14 Rua Ngatikaura (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
15 Reuben Porter (Wests Tigers)
16 Justin Makirere (Norths Devils)
17 Rhys Dakin (Sydney Roosters)

Tries: Ulberg (9), Moale (23), Marsters (36), Niukore (39, 62), Iro (51), Piakura (53), Cowley (57, 77), Teague (74), Ngatikaura (80)
Goals: Marsters 3/6, Ioka 3/4, Iro 1/1

SOUTH AFRICA
1 Luke Pereira De Vlieg (Runaway Bay)
2 Niel Beukes (Harlequins)
3 Callum McMenemy (Parramatta Eels)
4 Brynn Du Rand (Mackay Magpies)
5 Brady McMillan (Moranbah Miners)
6 Coby Thomas (North Sydney Bears)
7 Kamren Cryer (Corrimal Cougars)
8 Shane Mackenzie (North Beach Sea Eagles)
9 Kobe Martin (Souths Logan Magpies)
10 Jason Smith (Central Newcastle)
11 Ethan Sweet (Mackay Cutters)
12 Keegan Turner (Currumbin Eagles)
13 Aden Perry (St Mary’s Saints)
Subs (all used)
14 Reilly Canning (Eastwood)
15 Joshua Hill (Valleys Diehards)
16 Ashley Bull (Normanby Hounds)
17 Marcelle Corneelsen (Grizzlies)

Tries: Pereira De Vlieg (18)
Goals: Beukes 1/1
Sin bin: Perry (30) – shoulder charge

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6, 10-6, 14-6, 20-6; 24-6, 30-6, 34-6, 40-6, 46-6, 52-6, 58-6

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Cook Islands: Esan Marsters; South Africa: Kobe Martin

Penalty count: 5-6
Half-time: 20-6
Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Attendance: 28,084