PAPUA NEW GUINEA 40 COOK ISLANDS 28
TOM SMITH, Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby, Saturday

JASON DEMETRIOU’S Kumuls staved off a dogged Cook Islands to kick off their Pacific Bowl campaign with a victory on home soil.

Chasing their first win since the 2022 World Cup, the Aitu pushed PNG all the way to the death, only for Gairo Voro’s runaway intercept to send the Port Moresby faithful into raptures.

The Kumuls’ Super League contingent – Leigh pair Lachlan Lam and Edwin Ipape, Hull KR back-rower Rhyse Martin, Castleford forward Liam Horne and former Salford back Nene Macdonald – made a huge impact for the hosts.

It continues the Kumuls’ impressive preparation for the home 2026 World Cup under Demetriou, who hasn’t lost a Pacific Bowl match in his two seasons in charge.

The Brisbane Broncos paraded their NRL and NRLW silverware to the crowd at half-time, adding to a festive atmosphere in the PNG capital.

The Cook Islands have still never toppled PNG in nine attempts, although this exciting contest was an improvement on heavy losses at this venue in 2023 and 2024.

NRL stars KL Iro and Brendan Piakura have added starch to Karmichael Hunt’s line-up, but this still appeared a mismatch on paper due to the Kumuls’ deeper top-grade experience.

Eighteen-year-old Cooper Bai — son of legendary PNG winger Marcus — made his Test bow off the bench, while prolific try-scorer Alex Johnston returned to the Kumuls flank after missing the 2024 post-season series.

The Port Moresby crowd fell silent when the visitors posted the opening try through Rua Ngatikaura, who outsmarted the goal-line defence from dummy-half.

But they erupted when pacy flanker Robert Derby produced a sizzling individual try, scoring from inside his own half without a hand laid on him.

Three weeks after helping Toulouse win the Championship Grand Final over York, Reubenn Rennie stormed away with the Aitu’s reply.

But the Kumuls dominated the rest of the first half.

First Lam sent Martin steaming through the line with an immaculately timed pass, then Morea Morea lobbed a lovely two-man cut-out for Derby to nab his second in the left corner.

When Johnston finished a clever set move from the base of the scrum – with Lam and Morea pulling the strings once again – PNG headed to sheds with a healthy 10-point advantage.

The Cook Islands refused to give up after the restart.

Esom Ioka snuffed out two tries in the last line of defence, then once the Aitu gained a foothold, Cassius Cowley launched a towering bomb that ended up with Caelys-Paul Putoko scoring in the left corner.

The two sides then went tit for tat in an exhilarating arm wrestle.

First Lam kicked for Zac Laybutt, then Esan Marsters released Ioka.

Martin snaffled a loose ball to give Morea the chance to gallop away, but Delahia Wigmore exploited some tiring PNG defence to shave the gap to six with six minutes to play.

With the Cook Islands desperately seeking an after-the-siren score and Martin sin-binned for a professional foul, Voro gobbled the intercept that put the contest to bed.

PNG look forward to another home clash against Fiji on Saturday, while the Cook Islands have a fortnight to prepare for their crucial World Cup qualifier against South Africa in Parramatta on Sunday, November 9.

GAMESTAR: Freshly minted Super League champion Rhyse Martin was involved in everything, notching a try, five goals, 107 running metres, 33 tackles and even a late sin-binning.

GAMEBREAKER: With the Cook Islands chasing an after-the-siren equaliser, Gairo Voro snatched an intercept to make sure of the Kumuls’ win.

MATCHFACTS
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
1 Morea Morea (Central Queensland Capras)
2 Robert Derby (North Queensland Cowboys)
3 Zac Laybutt (North Queensland Cowboys)
4 Nene Macdonald (Salford Red Devils)
5 Alex Johnston (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
6 Gairo Voro (PNG Hunters)
7 Lachlan Lam (Leigh Leopards)
8 Epel Kapinias (PNG Hunters)
9 Edwin Ipape (Leigh Leopards)
10 Jack De Belin (St George Illawarra Dragons)
11 Rhyse Martin (Hull KR)
12 Nixon Putt (Central Queensland Capras)
13 Liam Horne (Castleford Tigers)
Subs (all used)
14 Finley Glare (PNG Hunters)
15 Jacob Alick-Wiencke (Gold Coast Titans)
16 Cooper Bai (Gold Coast Titans)
17 Sylvester Namo (Brisbane Tigers)

Tries: Derby (13, 32), Martin (27), Johnston (36), Laybutt (56), Morea (67), Voro (80)
Goals: Martin 5/6, Laybutt 1/1
Sin bin: Martin (80) — professional foul

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

Tries: Ngatikaura (5), Rennie (20), Putoko (52), Ioka (61), Wigmore (74)
Goals: Ioka 4/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12, 12-12, 16-12, 22-12; 22-16, 28-16, 28-22, 34-22, 34-28, 40-28

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
PNG: Rhyse Martin; Cook Islands: Reubenn Rennie

Penalty count: 6-6
Half-time: 22-12
Referee: Gerard Sutton