Fiji were embarrassed by Papua New Guinea last week and will face another stern test against one of the best Cook Islands teams put together.
Best Bet
Fiji were nothing short of disgraceful last week. It turns out their decision to have a hit-out against the Tongan women’s team rather than a proper prep was not ideal.
The final score was not reflective of just how badly the Bati got beaten. Viliame Kikau had perhaps his worst ever game. The kicking game was abhorrent with the Donoghue/Naiqama combination clearly unable to deliver anything off the boot. Even experienced players like Maika Sivo were all at sea.
There is no doubt Fiji have named a vastly more experienced and well-known team with the likes of Kikau, Sivo, Tui Kamikamica, Michael Jennings and Sunia Turuva in the team. The problems from last week are going nowhere though as is the head coaching debacle.
The Bati are rolling with local Wise Kativerata as the head coach and he has made the dubious call to bring in Jarryd Hayne to coach. He is 2-3 as head coach and has no professional coaching experience.
Remarkably only superficial changes have been made with James Valevatu to start with Joe Lovodua dropped.
Since 2022, Fiji are 1-5 against Tier 1 Nations/PNG. Their one clash with the Cook Islands – in this tournament last year – saw the Bati sneak home 22-18.
The Cook Islands will be coached by Karmichael Hunt. Hunt has done a reasonable job in charge of Souths Logan, building a 23-17-2 record including a 2nd-placed finish in 2023.
He has picked a very good team that features current NRL players Davvy Moale, Tepai Moeroa, Reuben Porter and Mason Teague, former NRL players Brad Takairangi, Zane Tetevano and the Marsters brothers and some very handy players from sub-elite competitions including Queensland Cup players Esom Ioka and Pride Petterson-Robati, Norths hooker Rua Ngaitkaura and Toulouse centre Reubenn Rennie.
This is arguably the best Cook Islands team ever and the nation does have a very good record against Fiji with the Bati holding just a 6-5-1 edge. These teams have met twice since 2009 with the Cook Islands stunning Fiji in ’08 and then nearly shocking them last year.
The Aitu are a great bet to cover and can absolutely win.
Same Game Multi
Steven Marsters has scored in four of his last six Tests for the Cook Islands – even though the Cook Islands failed to break 18 in any of them.
Michael Jennings has 16 tries in 20 Tests – for three nations – and always lifts at international level.
Value Bet
Toulouse centre Reubenn Rennie is a very good tryscorer and the Bati will be conceding out wide if last week is anything to go by, Rennie has scored 20 tries in 34 games since joining Toulouse and scored eight in 18 prior during a one-season stint with Newtown. With three tries in seven Tests, he looks a nice bet.
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