Cook Islands national rugby union team Information & Cook Islands national rugby union team Links at HealthHaven.com

Cook Islands
Union	Cook Islands Rugby Union
Coach(es)	Walter Tangata
	Team kit
	Team kit
First international
	Western Samoa 24 - 18 Cook Islands; (1 September 1971)
Largest win
	Cook Islands 77 - 0 Tahiti; (2 June 2001)
Worst defeat
	Tonga 90-0 Cook Islands; (8 June 2006)

Not to be confused with Cook Islands national rugby league team.

The Cook Islands is a third tier rugby union playing nation. They began playing international rugby in the early 1971. Thus far, the Cook Islands have not made an appearance at any of the World Cups.

[edit] History

A scratch team of Rarontongan boys including the late Sir Albert Henry played the 1924 All Blacks Invincibles on their way to the United Kingdom and drew 0-0 although this could never be considered an official international.

The Cook Islands played their first official international on September 1, 1971 against Western Samoa, losing 24 points to 18. The Cook Islands went on to win against Wallis and Futuna the next day and then lose again to Samoa the day after.

The next time the Cook Islands played was nine years later in 1980, in a close game against a touring Italian side; the Cook Islands won by 15 - 6. Three years later they again played Samoa, again losing. The next match for the Islanders wasn't until 1996, when they played Papua New Guinea. Since then, they play regularly against them and fellow Pacific sides Niue and Tahiti.

While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they can supply players for the Pacific Islanders'. The first and still sole player from Cook Islands to have represented the Pacific Islanders was Tu Tamarua, in 2004.

The best Cook Islands rugby players often play in New Zealand where there is a large Cook Island population.

The Cook Islands entered the play-off round 4 against Tonga for a berth at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, but suffered heavy losses by 77-10 at home and 90-0 away, in 2006.

The Cook Islands entered recently Oceania Cup, but were surprisingly eliminated by Niue who beat them 18-7 at Rarotonga.

[edit] World Cup record

1987 - Not invited
1991 - 1995 - Did not enter
1999 - 2007 - Did not qualify

[edit] Notable Players

[edit] Players of Cook Islands descent

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Cook Islands Rugby Union - Official Site (English)
Cook Islands at the IRB Official Site