‘It kind of breaks my heart’: Kiwis run riot after Cook Islands’ brave start

A courageous first-half effort was not enough for the Cook Islands to withstand a formidable Kiwis side, falling 82-16 at One NZ Stadium, Christchurch, in round two of the Rugby League World Cup.

Cook Islands winger Esom Ioka’s unforgettable hat-trick thrilled a crowd of over 25,000, but captain KL Iro told Sky Sport how painful it was to see the margin blow out after the Cook Islands had been strong early in the contest.

“They were just too good for us. I thought we come out hard. Obviously Esom had a blinder, really happy with that, but I think they just got away with it in the end. We just couldn’t really hold on.

“I wish we done a better job on them, it’s hard to see those big numbers on there, it kind of breaks my heart, but yeah we go again next week.”

Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris acknowledged the courageous start from the Cook Islands, who came out firing before the home side found their rhythm.

“Tough game at the start … Kuki brothers came with that aggression and obviously got some points on the board, but we just stuck at it… do what we do best and at the end of it was pretty fun.”

Cook Islands’ winger Esom Ioka scored all three of his tries within 10 minutes. Photo/Craig Butland/Photosport.

Ioka gave Cook Islands fans plenty to cheer about, producing a remarkable individual display against the odds.

The 23-year-old’s brilliance caught the Kiwis on the back foot early in the game and put the Aitu briefly in the lead.

After missing a narrow scoring opportunity in the air, Ioka went coast-to-coast, picking off an intercept to get his side on the board.

Shortly after, he found the paint for his second, winning the aerial battle to finish veteran Brad Takairangi’s fourth-play kick and give the nation a spring in its step in the 14th minute.

One NZ Warriors players Tanner Stowers-Smith (left) and Jacob Laban making their Kiwis debuts. Photo/Andrew Cornaga/John Davidson/Photosport.

Another intercept try in the 18th minute helped the Cook Islands go up another gear, before Ioka came off due to injury, seeing the Kiwis wrestle back control on home soil.

The Kiwis closed out the first half with four unanswered tries before running rampant after the break, leaving the Cook Islands unable to match their opponents’ pace.

Fitness levels also proved telling in the second half, with the Kiwis winning individual matchups and the Aitu struggling to make their tackles stick, with the gulf between the sides widened.

Despite the result, it was also a celebration of fresh faces in Stacey Jones’ side, with young Pacific prospects Jacob Laban and Tanner Stowers-Smith making their international debuts for New Zealand.

Stowers-Smith made the occasion even more memorable, erupting with passion after crossing for two of the Kiwis’ 14 tries on his home soil.

The Kiwis will now wait to play the Fiji Bati - who face the Australian Kangaroos later tonight (10.05pm NZT).

The Cook Islands turn their attention to Australia in their final pool match on Saturday 31 October.

Women's fixtures

In other World Cup action, the Kiwi Ferns delivered a ruthless performance against France, running in a mammoth 92-0 victory to record their biggest-ever win.

Earlier on Saturday, the Fiji Bulikula turned their round-one heartbreak against New Zealand into redemption, thumping the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Orchids 40-4 in Port Moresby.

Fetu Sāmoa also produced a resilient performance, with the final remaining Pacific Island nation in the women's competition recording another colossal victory, beating Wales 72-0.

Men's fixtures

Round two has set the stage for one of the tournament's most highly anticipated clashes, with Tonga and Toa Sāmoa both recording wins in their respective matches.

Tonga got the job done on Friday night at CommBank Stadium in Sydney, securing a commanding 36-0 win over Lebanon to punch their ticket to the semi-finals.

The Toa followed suit on Saturday afternoon, producing a 64-6 demolition of Papua New Guinea to build momentum ahead of their blockbuster meeting with Tonga.