COOK Islands rounded off their World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 26-18 win over France.
The Cook Islands were held up twice in the opening exchanges before they finally crashed over courtesy of an April Ngatupuna drive to the line on 18 minutes. Kere Matua converted for a 6-0 lead.
France did respond just before the half-hour mark with Alice Varela sending over Melanie Bianchini with a lovely cut-out pass. Elicia Ciria, however, couldn’t convert as the Cook Islands maintained a two-point lead at 6-4.
The French committed rugby league heartbreak from the kick-off, letting the ball bounce out of touch as Terehia Matua barged over from the resulting set.
12-4 up at half-time and the Cook Islands made things worse for France immediately following the resumption as Mackenzie Wiki slid over the whitewash.
That being said, the French did hit back moments later as Ciria finished a wonderful offload and break from Mailys Borak under the posts. Ciria converted to make it 16-10.
Great work by Kere Matua handed an opportunity for the Cook Islands to stretch their lead once more on the hour when Alekermay Tuaana dotted down. Matua notched her third conversion of the night for a 22-10 lead.
Cristina Song Puche responded moments later, but Ciria’s missed conversion meant the French still had to score twice at 22-14.
But the Cook Islands put the final nail in the French coffin with Tetuanui Agnes Dean scooting over from dummy-half with nine minutes to go.
Even then though Ciria managed to grab her second, latching onto a loose ball to fire through soft defence on 76 minutes, The halfback failed to add on the extras as the Cook Islands led 26-18.
France
Cloe Guillerot, Cristina Song Puche, Melanie Bianchini, Laureane Biville, Anaelle Meunier, Elisa Ciria, Alice Varela (C), Gaelle Alvernhe, Fanny Ramos, Cyndia Mansard, Elisa Akpa, Perrine Monsarrat, Dorine Samarra. Subs (all used): Jeanne Bernard, Mailys Borak, Zoe Pastre-Courtine, Manon Samarra
Tries: Bianchini, Ciria 2, Song Puche
Goals: Ciria 1/4
Cook Islands
Alekermay Tuaana, Mackenzie Wiki, Jazmon Tupou-Witchman, Charlize-Gazelle Tumu-Makara, Daimzel Tongokea, Kere Matua, Anneka Stephens, Karol-Ann Tanevei, Tetuanui Agnes Dean, April Ngatupuna, Moniqca Mo’ale, Lavinia Kitai, Elianna Walton (C). Subs (all used): Kennedy Harrison-Vahua, Mireka Dean, Erikana Dean, Terehia Matua
Tries: Ngatupuna, T Matua, Wiki, Tuaana, Dean
Goals: K Matua 3/5
Half-time: 4-12
Referee: Ben Thaler
Scoring sequence: 0-6, 4-6, 4-12; 4-16, 10-16, 10-22, 14-22, 14-26, 18-26
Venue: LNER Community Stadium, York
