Fiji have opened their Rugby League World Cup campaign with a commanding 40-12 win over Cook Islands at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Sunday, scoring five first-half tries to lead 28-0 at the break.
Wests Tigers centre Solomone Saukuru scored twice and halfback Brandon Wakeham kicked six goals from seven attempts as the Bati won the try count seven to two, according to the official NRL.com match centre.
Newcastle Knights prop Jacob Saifiti delighted the local crowd with his first try for Fiji in eight Tests, chasing down a bomb to score in the 28th minute. It was his first game since he was sent off in the Knights’ round 26 match in August, with the four-game suspension that followed ruling him out of the NRL finals, the Newcastle Herald reported.
Bati dominate the first half
Saukuru opened the scoring in the fifth minute after a Kurt Donoghoe cut-out pass, and fellow centre Waqa Blake crossed untouched on the right edge in the 12th minute.
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Back-rower Taane Milne burrowed over in the 35th minute, and lock Caleb Navale ran more than 40 metres to score in the right corner two minutes later after Wakeham sent him through a gap.
“It’s a complete and utter domination at the moment,” Fiji great Lote Tuqiri said in commentary at half-time, the Herald reported.
Cook Islands hit back too late
Wakeham put back-rower Kitione Kautoga through a gap in the 47th minute before Cook Islands finally got on the board through Maui Winitana-Patelesio in the 59th minute and Davvy Moale in the 63rd, with Winitana-Patelesio converting both tries. Saukuru sealed the result with his second try in the 69th minute.
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With a spine featuring NRL players Apisai Koroisau, Wakeham and Donoghoe, Fiji were far too strong on a sunny but windy afternoon, in the second match of a World Cup double-header watched by 10,604 fans, according to the Herald.
In the opening match, women’s World Cup newcomers Fiji gave the Kiwi Ferns a scare before New Zealand came from 12-4 down to win 18-12, Nine reported.
What’s next
Fiji face the Kangaroos at Suncorp Stadium next Sunday, while Cook Islands travel to Christchurch to take on New Zealand the same day, the Herald reported. Australia will be without Mitchell Moses for the rest of the tournament after the Parramatta playmaker was ruled out with a calf tear.
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