The Pacific Championships are in full swing and we are back in Port Moresby for another rollicking double-header on Saturday with local heroes the Kumuls making their first appearance of the tournament.
Under the astute guidance of Jason Demetriou, the Kumuls will be primed for a huge showing against Cook Islands, who are smarting after a first-up loss to the Bati.
In the first game of the day it’s the Cook Islands Moana chasing back-to-back victories when they meet the Tonga XIII in a contest that promises to be full of passion and physicality.
Follow all the Pacific Championships action on NRL.com’s live blog.
Men’s Pacific Bowl: PNG Kumuls v Cook Islands Aitu
53rd minute: And just like that, the Aitu have a try against the run of play and they are back in this. Cassius Cowley put up a towering bomb, which Morea Morea dropped, with Rhys Dakin catching the loose ball before throwing an overhead pass to Caelys-Paul Putoko, who beat Alex Johnston’s desperation tackle to score in the corner. Kumuls 22 – Aitu 16
51st minute: The Kumuls have picked up where they left off before the break and controlled the opening 10 minutes of this half but they just haven’t been able to break through for the try. They’ve put plenty on pressure on the Aitu, but the last pass hasn’t gone to hand, with the visitors scrambling desperately to remain in the contest. Kumuls 22 – Aitu 12.
Kick-off: We are back underway, with Papua New Guinea having first use of the ball as they look to extend their lead. The Kumuls had all the momentum before the break so the Aitu will need to step it up a notch if they are to get back into the contest. Kumuls 22 – Aitu 12.Â
The Broncos have embarked on a trophy tour as they celebrate their NRL and NRLW premiership success. The first stop is Papua New Guinea, with the fans at Santos National Football Stadium clamouring for a look at the club’s biggest stars.
Half-time: Cook Islands kept their noses in front through much of the half, however a mounting error toll allowed Papua New Guinea to take the upper hand throughout the final 10 minutes of the period. The Kumuls took full advantage to score two late tries and open up a 10-point lead at the break. Kumuls 22 – Aitu 12.
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Alex Johnston Try
37th minute: The Kumuls have taken control of this contest now, with the right flank getting in on the act. Lachlan Lam orchestrated a slick scrum move, with fullback Morea Morea looping around the back and linking up with Alex Johnston for the try. Kumuls 22 – Aitu 12.
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Robert Derby 2nd Try
33rd minute:Â Papua New Guinea have hit the front for the first time today as we approach half-time. The Aitu opened their door for their opponents with a string of errors inside their own half and Robert Derby capitalised by scoring his second in the left corner. Cook Islands’ cause has also been dealt a blow, with Rua Ngatikaura leaving the field with an arm injury. Kumuls 16 – Aitu 12.
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Rhyse Martin Try
27th minute: The crowd in Port Moresby has erupted after Lachlan Lam produced a brilliant pass to edge forward Rhyse Martin, who charged through a gap to score. There has been extra energy in the stands in the past few minutes with Cooper Bai, son of Marcus Bai, was injected into the contest for his international debut. Kumuls 12 – Aitu 12.
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Reubenn Rennie Try
20th minute: How quickly a game can turn. Kapinias’ error handed the Aitu a seven-tackle set, before a penalty put the visitors on the attack. Centre Reubenn Rennie then produced a spectacular solo effort to break through multiple tackle attempts and ground the ball. Kumuls 6 – Aitu 12
18th minute: Papua New Guinea’s expansive attacking style is causing plenty of problems for the Aitu and the hosts have come agonisingly close to a second. Liam Horne made the initial break on the back of an Edwin Ipape offload, before Epel Kapinias won the race to a grubber in the in-goal. Replays, however, suggest there was separation in the attempted grounding and the Bunker has ruled no try. Kumuls 6 – Aitu 6.Â
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Robert Derby Try
13th minute:Â Papua New Guinea have turned defence into attack, with the hosts capitalising on a Cook Islands to go 100 metres in a set of six. Robert Derby did the damage, the winger capitalising on the lack of markers to break through the Aitu defensive line and run 60 metres to score his side’s first points. Kumuls 6 – Aitu 6.
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Rua Ngatikaura Try
6th minute: The Aitu have weathered an early Kumuls onslaught before forcing an error and earning their own chance to strike. Having denied Papua New Guinea at the other end of the field, Rua Ngatikaura made sure his side capitalised to score the first points of the game and silence the home fans. Kumuls 0 – Aitu 6
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A Pe’e to silence the home crowd
Kick-off: The Aitu have performed the Pe’e and we are ready to go at Santos National Football Stadium. A big crowd has turned out to watch the Kumuls begin their Pacific Championships campaign, while Cook Islands are desperate to bounce back from last week’s loss to Fiji. Kumuls 0 – Aitu 0.
Late Mail
Kumuls: The five big inclusions who weren’t part of the PM’s XIII game are skipper Lachlan Lam, hooker Edwin Ipape, back-rower Rhyse Martin, centre Zac Laybutt and tryscoring legend Alex Johnston. After coming off the bench in his only Test appearance last November, Morea Morea grabs the coveted No.1 jersey and veteran Nene MacDonald moves to centre in his 20th international for the Kumuls. Penty of experience in the pack with Jack de Belin and Nixon Putt while son of a gun Cooper Bai makes his Test debut off the bench alongside Finley Glare, Sylvester Namo and Jacob Alick. The Kumuls will line up 1-17, with Robert Mathias the 18th man.
Cook Islands:Â Karmichael Hunt has switched up his backline on game day for the second week in a row. Esan Marsters will line up at halfback, with Cassius Cowley shifting to five-eighth, Caelys-Paul Putoko to the wing and Esom Ioka to fullback. Changes in the forward pack as well. Rua Ngatikaura comes off the bench to start at hooker, Mason Teague moving to lock and Pride Petterson-Robati shifting to prop. Tepai Moeroa drops out of the squad, with Brody Tamarua coming on to the bench.
Women’s Pacific Bowl: Cook Islands v Tonga XIII
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Moana v Tonga XIII
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Kiarah Siauane 2nd Try
Full-time: Cook Islands are the Pacific Bowl champions and they have sealed it with a try. Tonga spilt the ball and the Moana quickly turned to the counter-attack, with Kiarah Siauane beating multiple defenders on her way to the try line. Tonga burst out of the gates in the opening 10 minutes of the contest, but Cook Islands eventually found their groove to run in eight tries in a 42-24 victory. Moana 42 – Tonga 24.
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Kerehitina Matua 2nd Try
65th minute: The Moana have one hand on victory now. The Cook Islands interchange has been superb today, providing considerable punch off the bench to swing this game in their favour. This time it’s Kerehitina Matua who can’t be stop, putting her team one step closer to the Pacific Bowl title. Moana 36 – Tonga 24.
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Kiarah Siauane 2nd Try
60th minute: Cook Islands have gone 100 metres to turn a near Tongan try into a Moana four-pointer. Emmanita Paki produced a pinpoint bomb for Simina Lokotui, who would have scored if she was able to catch it. The winger, however, dropped the ball and Cook Islands went on the counter attack. While Tonga scrambled desperately, they were eventually caught short and Kiarah Siauane slammed the ball down to extend her side’s lead. Moana 32 – Tonga 24.
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Shannon Muru Try
55th minute: This game keeps swinging back and forth and Tonga have hit back. The drinks break gave Meg Ward’s side a chance to regroup and they quickly gained the upper hand. Malia Tuifua produced an excellent grubber, Shannon Muru charged through and scored the try. Moana 28 – Tonga 24.
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Kerehitina Matua Try
51st minute: After putting in the hard yards to pull within two, Tonga have repeated the errors they made in the first half and made multiple errors to release the pressure valve. Cook Islands received a sustained period in attacking territory as a result and they eventually capitalised through hard-running forward Kerehitina Matua. The Moana lead is back beyond a converted try midway through the second half. Moana 28 – Tonga 20.
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Moana Courtenay Try
43rd minute: This game has plenty more twists and turns left in it. A penalty handed Tonga another attacking opportunity and they’ve have capitalised to make it two tries in the space of three minutes and pull within two. Moana Courtenay was the try-scorer, the winger winning the race to a grubber to ground the ball. Moana 22 – Tonga 20.
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Seli Mailangi Try
40th minute:Â Tonga needed a response and they have immediately hit back. A Cook Islands gave Tonga an attacking opportunity and Seli Mailangi took advantage of some tired marker defence to throw a dummy and burrow her way over the line. It’s a six-point match and it’s game one in Port Moresby. Moana 22 – Tonga 16.
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Ngatokotoru Arakua Try
Kick-off: We are back for the second half and it’s a dream start for Cook Islands. Chantay Kiria-Ratu placed the kick-off perfectly, Tonga let it hit the deck and it bounced over the dead ball line. The Moana promptly made the most of the subsequent line dropout, with Ngatokotoru Arakua charging over for a big try in the opening minutes of the second half. Moana 22 – Tonga 10
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Paulina Morris-Ponga Try
Half-time: Cook Islands have finished the first half with a flurry and they have delivered a big blow with Paulina Morris-Ponga scoring in the corner as the half-time siren sounded. The winger was denied earlier in the half, but this time she did just enough to beat the defender and get the ball over the line. Tongan coach Meg Ward will be disappointed with the way her side finished the half after they dominated the first 10 minutes of the contest. Moana 16 – Tonga 10
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Jazmon Tupou-Witchman Try
32nd minute: The pressure proved too great, with Jazmon Tupou-Witchman charging through the front door to crash over from close range and score between the posts. It’s been an excellent response from the Moana, who were shell-shocked early and trailed 10-0 after nine minutes. They have slowly worked their way back into the game and now lead with three minutes remaining in the first half. Moana 12 – Tonga 10.
29th minute: Cook Islands are building pressure now, with the Moana starting to win the battle through the middle. They look to have the Tongan defence stretched, with Kiana Takairangi putting the ball on the toe and forcing a line drop out. Moana 6 – Tonga 10.
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Deleni Paitai Try
22nd minute: This time there’s no denying the Moana. A Tonga error put them on the attack and they eventually capitalised. Cook Islands ran the ball on the last, with debutant Deleni Paitai produced a powerful fend to bump off the defender and slam the ball down. Moana 6 – Tonga 10.
18th minute: The Cook Islands have come agonisingly close to scoring for a second try, but this time the Bunker has denied them. Chantay Kiria-Ratu identified space in the in goal, produced a grubber for Kaiyah Atai, who raced through and grounded the ball on the dead ball line. The ball just kept rolling away from Atai rather than sitting up and that ultimately cost the Moana in the end. Moana 0 – Tonga 10.  Â
15th minute: Tonga are scoring tries at one end and saving tries at the other. Paulina Morris-Ponga looked certain to score in the corner bbefore came across in cover defence to knock the ball free with a desperation tackle. Moana 0 – Tonga 10.
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Simina Lokotui Try
11th minute:Â We have just seen one of the tries of the year and Tonga have gone back-to-back. The Tongans rolled down the field in the set after points before Emmanita Paki produced a pinpoint cross-field kick to winger Simina Lokotui, who caught the ball on the run, stepped past her opposite winger and scored the try. Moana 0 – Tonga 10
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Emmanita Paki Try
8th minute: It’s been an intense start to the game, with both teams trading sets in hot and windy conditions. Tonga generated the first opportunity, with Meg Ward’s side earning a penalty and set to go on the attack. Tonga made the most of it, with Kalosipani Hopoate bursting through the defensive line. The prop was eventually dragged down, but halfback Emmanita Paki capitalised on retreating defence to throw a dummy and slice straight through. Moana 0 – Tonga 6
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A beautiful response from the Tonga XIII
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Powerful Pe’e from the Moana
Kick-off: The Cook Islands have completed the Pe’e before Tonga responded with a hymn. The Moana can claim the Pacific Bowl with a win after they defeated Papua New Guinea last week, while Tonga are looking to open their campaign on a positive note after having the bye last week. Tonga have kicked off and we are underway in Port Moresby. Moana 0 – Tonga 0.
Stat Attack
The Moana have 56 games in Test experience compared with 17 for Tonga.
Tonga have greater NRLW experience (15 players and 210 games compared to 10 players and 127 games)
Cook Islands are aiming for back-to-back Test wins for the first time.
The Tongan women’s team only international success was against Niue in 2020.
Late Mail
Moana: A change in the centres with Keira Rangi coming in for her Test debut with Kiarah Siauane moving to the wing and Hannah Makira dropping out. Debutante Porche John and Jodeci Joseph are the new faces on the bench with Memory Paitai moving to 18th player and April Ngatupuna dropping to the reserves. No changes in Saturday’s final team update, with Paitai remaining the 18th player.Â
Tonga XIII: Natasha Penitani and Pani Hopoate will show the way up front for Tonga in their opening match while second-rower Shannon Muru will also offer plenty of go-forward. Bulldogs backs Moana Courtenay and Simina Lokotui make their Test debuts along with Newcastle’s Fane Finau, Parramatta’s Martha Mataele and playmaker Malia Tuifua, who will partner Emmanita Paki in the halves. Test debuts as well for Kaylani Tavita, Tatiana Finau and Iunisi-Ruby Smith-Tufulele-Fifita. A late change to the team on game day, with Manalita Takapautolo dropping out of the squad. Tatiana Finau comes into the back row, with Pauline Suli-Ruka added to the bench.Â