IT’S sub-district of a region with just 1490 inhabitants but Tupapa entered three teams in the tournament that kicked off the year of Nines rugby league worldwide this weekend.
And one of them, the Tupapa Panthers A team, took out the men’s trophy, with fleet-footed John Vano scoring three tries in an exciting 34-26 final win over the Avatui Eels. His second touchdown saw Vano beat three defenders and put the Panthers in the driver’s seat late in the match.
Avatui never surrendered though, scoring the final try, and simply ran out of time as the shadows darkened at Tereora Stadium after two long days of rugby league in sweltering conditions.
The Cook Islands are yet to record a single case of Covid-19 and so while sport in the rest of the world is severely restricted or suspended and clubs are facing bankruptcy, many of the young men and women who played on Friday and Saturday in the so-called Nines In Paradise will back up on Monday in a beach games tournament.
Rarotonga was a new team in the women’s division and they led all the way in their final against Tupapa Panthers, although they finished tense 11-8 winners.
Tupapa is a “tapere” of the Pue-Matavera district on Avarua island in the Cooks. In all, seven men’s and three women’s teams took part.
More to come
Photo: Cook Islands Rugby League
Results
Team Tries Conversions Points Tupapa Panthers 6 4 34 Avatiu Eels 5 3 26
Results
| Team | Tries | Conversions | BP | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tupapa women | 2 | — | — | 8 |
| Rarotonga | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
