NEW ZEALAND 82 COOK ISLANDS 16
TOM SMITH, One NZ Stadium, Christchurch, Sunday

JAMAYNE ISAAKO racked up 38 points as New Zealand put the Cook Islands to the sword in Christchurch.

In the first men’s Test match played under the sparkly new roof of One NZ Stadium, the Kukis challenged the Kiwis early, as Queensland Cup winger Esom Ioka snared three tries in nine minutes.

But the New Zealanders steadied and ended up with 14 tries to register their first win of the World Cup.

Isaako claimed a hat-trick and 13 goals to smash the record for the most points by a Kiwi in a Test match: 32 by Tasesa Lavea against the same opponent in 2000.

Warriors rookie Tanner Stowers-Smith enjoyed a dream Test bow with a brace off the bench, while Casey McLean and Ronaldo Mulitalo both collected doubles.

The Kiwis fell to the Kangaroos by two points in an epic tournament opener the Thursday prior, and Stacey Jones lost star fullback Kalyn Ponga to a broken arm, replaced by Keano Kini.

Jones took the chance to shuffle his deck for the second game of the tournament, testing members of his squad against weaker opposition than the Aussies.

The Aitu fell to Fiji 40-12 in their first match of the World Cup in Newcastle last Sunday.

But coach Karmichael Hunt boasted one huge inclusion here – St George Illawarra star Valentine Holmes, who represented the Kangaroos 21 times before making his debut here for his nation of heritage.

The pre-game exchange of war cries led by Brad Takairangi and James Fisher-Harris nearly blew the roof off the stadium.

And the local fans erupted when Isaako opened the scoring inside two minutes down the right flank.

Kini and McLean combined to release Mulitalo for the hosts’ second four-pointer.

But the Kukis fought back through unknown winger Ioka.

First he snaffled an intercept to sprint 85 metres, then he soared over Mulitalo to collect a perfectly weighted Takairangi kick in the corner.

And Ioka had a scarcely believable hat-trick inside 18 minutes when he collected another intercept inside his own half.

Isaako erased NZ’s deficit with try number two, then a deft Kodi Nikorima short ball to Scott Sorensen gave them some breathing room.

Stowers-Smith crashed over from close range for a maiden Test try before McLean raced away with the Kiwis’ sixth try to make it 36-16 at the break.

The gulf in class continued to widen as the Cook Islanders’ defence tired after the restart.

Kini slipped free of three would-be tacklers for the first score of the second half, and Stowers-Smith was in dreamland when he earned a second try.

Nikorima gathered a Jahrome Hughes bomb for the Kiwis’ next then the explosive McLean charged through for his double.

Mulitalo soon had a brace of his own when a Te Maire Martin kick took a perfect bounce, then Isaako finished his hat-trick.

Martin was rewarded for backing up a Nikorima bomb before Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad finished the 14-try romp from long range.

GAMESTAR: Jamayne Isaako hoarded a personal points tally of 38 to break the New Zealand record set 26 years ago.

GAMEBREAKER: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad crossed in the 79th minute for the Kiwis’ 14th and final four-pointer.

MATCHFACTS

NEW ZEALAND
1 Keano Kini
2 Jamayne Isaako
3 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
4 Casey McLean
5 Ronaldo Mulitalo
6 Kodi Nikorima
7 Jahrome Hughes
8 James Fisher-Harris
9 Jeremy Marshall-King
10 Joseph Tapine
11 Xavier Willison
12 Scott Sorensen
13 Erin Clark
Subs
14 Te Maire Martin
15 Leo Thompson
16 Tanner Stowers-Smith
17 Jacob Laban
18 Isaiah Papali’i (not used)
19 Briton Nikora (not used)

Tries: Isaako (2, 24, 75), Mulitalo (6, 65), Sorensen (28), Stowers-Smith (33, 50), McLean (38, 59), Kini (43), Nikorima (52), Martin (77), Nicoll-Klokstad (79)
Goals: Isaako 13/14

COOK ISLANDS
1 Valentine Holmes
2 Esom Ioka
3 KL Iro
4 Reubenn Rennie
5 Cameron Brown
6 Maui Winitana-Patelesio
17 Brad Takairangi
8 Davvy Moale
9 Rua Ngatikaura
10 Rhys Dakin
11 Amare Milford
12 Delahia Wigmore
13 Mason Teague
Subs
7 Esan Marsters
14 K-CI Newton-Whare
15 David Tuariki
16 Makahesi Makatoa
18 Chaev Kolone (not used)
19 Glassie Glassie (not used)

Tries: Ioka (11, 15, 19)
Goals: Holmes 2/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 12-4, 12-10, 12-16, 18-16, 24-16, 30-16, 36-16; 42-16, 48-16, 54-16, 60-16, 64-16, 70-16, 76-16, 82-16

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
New Zealand: Jamayne Isaako; Cook Islands: Esom Ioka

Penalty count: 1-3
Half-time: 36-16
Referee: Ashley Klein
Attendance: 26,800