THERE will be no love lost when New Zealand face the Cook Islands at York’s LNER Community Stadium on Sunday, despite a strong connection between the two sides.
Several members of the Cook Islands squad played for the Kiwi Ferns in the last tournament, while the Kukis’ coach Anthony Matua was the Ferns’ assistant coach in 2013, before leading them in 2014 and 2015.
But there is perhaps no stronger connection that for Ferns captain Krystal Rota, whose two nieces – Karaitiana and Terehia Matua – will be pulling on the green and yellow of the Cook Islands, while one of her cousins is coach Matua.
“It will be a daunting task playing against my nieces, but as we always say there are no friends out on that field, so I guess the same applies when it comes to family,” said Rota.
“We’ve all come here to do a job and that’s what we’ve got to do no matter who we take on on the paddock.
“I will still watch their backs and love them with everything, but we all want to win the World Cup at all costs.
“Having them over here at the same time has made it a bit easier after leaving family at home, but I have been involved with the Ferns for quite some time so some of these girls are like family anyway.
“We have all been friends for a very long time and it’s very comforting to come into this space and still feel very family orientated.”
