Day One:
Rainy day and some bad handling overturns possession.
Cooks NIL v 29 Khazakstan
Cooks NIL v 24 Tonga
Day Two:
New
day and a new invigorating approach to the game. Reality kicks in and Cooks
fight a winning battle. Trailing all the way they overtake Samoa and hold on for
the last minute to snatch victory. Both teams stand exhausted after the match
and congratulate each other. Cooks 12 v
10 Samoa........upset win of the day as the Cooks progress to Cup semi. Cooks points v Samoa are scored by : TRIES: Patricia
Taea(2). CONV. Mama Henry Cooks NIL
v 24 Khazakstan...........possesion and play all Cooks, but
mistakes cost us turnover ball and tries.
Day Three:
3rd & 4th PLACING: Cooks v Singapore. All
eyes on Cooks v's crowd favourite Singapore who beat Samoa 7-5 in pool play.
In atrcious rainy conditions, the
Cooks were to receive the kick off from Singapore after losing the toss.
The
kick did not bounce because of the water soaked field and Cooks received a free
kick from half way. The rain was that bad calls for interchange were done
verbally as paper would get soaked. Possession was all Cooks who were
constantly breaking opposition line but being pinned in by efficient cover
defence.
The Cooks scored from a ruck ball taken by Tai Wichman and running
22 metres and dealing with the sweeper, to score directly under the post. 5-0,
conversion unsuccessful as weather not conducive to drop kicking. Singapore
resonded with a try before half time, pursued by the defence who kept the scorer
wide and conversion unsuccessful 5-5.,
The score remained there until
full time. A change of ends and we were into extra time. Two minutes into
extra time, Cooks put into a scrum and scrum half Margi Nena attacked the blind and fed back to Elle Walton
fighting off defenders to offload to Pat Taea, who had two defenders to beat
before running 30 metres to score under the posts.
This has meant a successful campaign for the FORU
teams from Oceania. Samoa earlier took the Bowl defeating Tonga 12-5. Cooks
defeat Singapore to take the Plate and PNG play Khazakstan in the Final for the
Cup at 6.30pm tonight. Tournament Placings:
1st & 2nd tbc: Khazakstan or PNG, 3rd: Cooks, 4th: Singapore, 5th: Samoa,
6th: Tonga., 7th: India. Mr Michael Groom, Tournament Manager from FORU
came to the team area to congratulate the team.
Playing in their very first international tournament the Cooks exceeding their
expectations by finishing in 3rd place at the Asia Pacific womens 7's
tournament. Congratulations to the Cook Islands Womens 7's teams of: Jules
Westrupp(Capt), DD Nicholas, Taromi Urirau, Akaiti Purea, Apii Nicholls, Mama
Henry, Patricia Taea, Tai Wichman, Elle Walton, Margaret Nena, Mary Adams, Marae
Mataroa, Nooroa Maui(Coach), John Wichman(Manager), LeeVan Santos(Physio)
and Keith Roberts(Trainer).
Meitaki, Ben Koteka, CEO
Last Modified on 02/11/2010 12:01