2023 Week 2 Pacific Championships - Teams and Game Day

[Botman]

Just watching the highlights and yeah Timoko was in everything. Looks like a spectacular debut.

[greeneyed]

64th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Briton Nikora. Matt Timoko did everything but score a try on the earlier play. He has been outstanding on debut. Wonderful. Doesn't look like a try on replay, the ball didn't find the line, but the bunker confirmed. Converted.

New Zealand 38-0

Imagine if Timoko got more clean ball wearing green!

Most certainly his best game of the season.

[gerg]

Yes, excellent game from Timoko. Tapine very good in the first half but not sure he even came back on in the second? Kiwis have a really solid team, great forward pack and pretty well balanced across the park. Maybe lacking a first class hooker.

[Lui_Bon]

Yes, excellent game from Timoko. Tapine very good in the first half but not sure he even came back on in the second? Kiwis have a really solid team, great forward pack and pretty well balanced across the park. Maybe lacking a first class hooker.

They didn't bother with sending Joe back on. And neither did they need to, he was the "outstanding"* forward on the field. Timoko made a couple of errors but certainly looked like he belonged there - perhaps the best thing you might say was that while Manu found a way to show out, Timoko actually made some better plays.

In the early game, I thought it was interesting that NZ A dominated while Saulo was on the field, and got slashed at the end of the first half when he went off. Mind you I still think he didn't record a pass for the whole game. Peter Hola was also pretty strong for Tonga A. And just quietly Danny Levi went pretty well; he ran from dummy half a few times when it was on and made yards, and his passing was serviceable too. That said he had some really poor tackle attempts, though they did come after he'd been smashed in other tackles.


*someone has to be...

[greeneyed]

They put the Ferrari in the garage and didn’t have to bring it out again in the second half.

[BadnMean]

64th min TRY NEW ZEALAND to Briton Nikora. Matt Timoko did everything but score a try on the earlier play. He has been outstanding on debut. Wonderful. Doesn't look like a try on replay, the ball didn't find the line, but the bunker confirmed. Converted.

New Zealand 38-0

Imagine if Timoko got more clean ball wearing green!

Yep. We had games where I swear he got the ball twice in the oppositions half and one of those was a mis-pass.

[Billy Walker]

Yes, excellent game from Timoko. Tapine very good in the first half but not sure he even came back on in the second? Kiwis have a really solid team, great forward pack and pretty well balanced across the park. Maybe lacking a first class hooker.

They didn't bother with sending Joe back on. And neither did they need to, he was the "outstanding"* forward on the field. Timoko made a couple of errors but certainly looked like he belonged there - perhaps the best thing you might say was that while Manu found a way to show out, Timoko actually made some better plays.

In the early game, I thought it was interesting that NZ A dominated while Saulo was on the field, and got slashed at the end of the first half when he went off. Mind you I still think he didn't record a pass for the whole game. Peter Hola was also pretty strong for Tonga A. And just quietly Danny Levi went pretty well; he ran from dummy half a few times when it was on and made yards, and his passing was serviceable too. That said he had some really poor tackle attempts, though they did come after he'd been smashed in other tackles.


*someone has to be...

Come on Lui - there’s no room for different sounds in an echo chamber.

[RedRaider]

So Danny Levi has had a reasonable game against the Tonga 2nd 13 or Tonga A. Unfortunately there are no stats on this match on NRL.com.

Kiwis A take scrappy win over Tonga A

New Zealand Kiwis A and Mate Ma’a Tonga A added another vibrant chapter to the nations’ burgeoning rugby league rivalry, getting the Eden Park triple-header underway with an 11-try thriller.

The Nathan Cayless-coached Kiwis A side ultimately prevailed 36-26 in a match characterised by big momentum swings. Kiwis A were ahead of the clock in storming to a 12-0 advantage, but Tonga A dominated the majority of the first half with the next three tries.

Read more: https://nzrl.co.nz/kiwis-a-take-scrappy ... r-tonga-a/

[greeneyed]

I’d say he had some good moments in attack which were offset by poor moments in defence.

[-PJ-]

Timoko had a great game.

Taps was BOG until rested.

[-PJ-]

Best On Ground.

[Billy Walker]

I’d say he had some good moments in attack which were offset by poor moments in defence.

I suspect that must have been difficult for many to watch.

[The Greenhouse]

If you missed the game between New Zealand and Samoa yesterday, here's an extended highlights package.

[gerg]

I’d say he had some good moments in attack which were offset by poor moments in defence.

I didn't see the game but congratulations to Levi for playing well against a bunch of teenagers and NSW cup players.

[The Greenhouse]

Welcome to our coverage of this afternoon's Pacific Championships Test between the Papua New Guinea Orchids and the Cook Islands Moana. Kick off is at 1:45pm. Broadcast on Nine/GEM and Fox League right now. We will have live scores right here. Canberra Raiders NRLW player Ua Ravu will lead the Orchids from halfback, while Kere Matua will line up in the second row for the Cook Islands.



Papua New Guinea

1. Latoniya Norris 2. Lyiannah Allan 3. Belinda Gwasamun 4. Shellie Long 5. Freda Waula 6. Sera Koroi 7. Ua Ravu 10. Gloria Kaupa 9. Roswita Kapo 13. Jessikah Reeves 11. Emily Veivers 12. Essay Banu 16. Bertshiba Awoi

14. Meli Joe 15. Sareka Mooka 17. Yolanda Taute 19. Leila Kerowa

18. Lancy Ulkambane

Cook Islands

1. Kiana Takairangi 2. Alesha Willcox 3. Kaiyah Atai 4. Chantelle Holloway-Samuels 5. Mahinaarangi Rewi 6. Chantay Kiria-Ratu 7. Lydia Turua-Quedley 8. Ngatokotoru Arakua 9. Chelsea Makira 10. Crystal Tamarua 11. Jazmon Tupou-Witchman 14. Kerehitina Matua 13. Anneka Stephens

12. Ariel Ngatoko 15. Paulina Morris-Ponga 16. Lavinia Kitai 17. Jodeci Joseph

18. Kiana Sword-Tua

[The Greenhouse]

We've had the national anthems and cultural ceremonies. Small crowd at Port Moresby's National Stadium. Unpleasant conditions for rugby league, 29C and 75 per cent humidity.

The Orchids kick off, we are underway.

[The Greenhouse]

11th min TRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA to Roswita Kapo. The hooker just dives over from dummy half, from close to the line. Converted Emily Veivers.

Papua New Guinea 6-0

[The Greenhouse]

15th min TRY COOK ISLANDS to hooker Chelsea Makira. Almost a mirror image of the PNG try. Good answer from the Cook Islands team. They had looked dangerous early, but poor options on the edge saw them go out on the sidelines a couple of times. Converted Chantay Kiria-Ratu.

Papua New Guinea 6
Cook Islands 6

[The Greenhouse]

17th min TRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA to Essay Banu. Just charged over from 10 metres out, no stopping her. Emily Veivers converts from close to the posts.

Papua New Guinea 12-6

[The Greenhouse]

23rd min TRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA to Lyiannah Allan. Very good kick to the in goal from Ua Ravu and the winger chased at speed. No conversion from out wide.

Papua New Guinea 16-6

The Orchids fail to stop the kick off bouncing dead.

[The Greenhouse]

27th min TRY COOK ISLANDS to out wide Mahinaarangi Rewi. Great cut out, bullet pass from the half Lydia Turua-Quedley. No conversion from the sideline.

Papua New Guinea 16-10

The Orchids regather from the kick off for a second time.

[The Greenhouse]

35th min TRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA to Leila Kerowa, good running. No conversion.

Papua New Guinea Orchids 20
Cook Islands Moana 10

HALF TIME

[The Greenhouse]

Cook Islands kick off to start the second half.

[The Greenhouse]

45th min TRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA to fullback Latoniya Norris. Another try assist for Ua Ravu, good pass after drawing the defence. No conversion.

Papua New Guinea 24-10

[The Greenhouse]

49th min TRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA to winger Latoniya Norris. Second try of the afternoon for her. Just a simple shift to the left. Veivers fails to convert, hits the post for a third time.

Papua New Guinea 28-10

[The Greenhouse]

59th min TRY COOK ISLANDS to fullback Kiana Takairangi. Dummies and goes. Chantay Kiria-Ratu cannot convert from out wide.

Papua New Guinea 28-14

[The Greenhouse]

64th min TRY COOK ISLANDS to centre Chantelle Holloway-Samuels, playing on the wing. She spins and goes back inside to find her way to the line. Lovely conversion from the sideline from Chantay Kiria-Ratu. They're making a late charge!

Papua New Guinea 28-20

[The Greenhouse]

FULL TIME

Papua New Guinea Orchids 28
Cook Islands Moana 20

MATCH REPORT: Orchids survive late comeback to overcome Cook Islands



The Papua New Guinea Orchids secured a gritty 28-20 victory in front of home fans after overcoming a late comeback from Cook Islands Moana in their Pacific Championship clash in Port Moresby.

After losing their skipper Elsie Albert on game day, the Orchids rose to the occasion in their inaugural Pacific Championship Test with a host of young forwards showing a promising future ahead for the rising international side.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/10/22/orc ... k-islands/

[The Greenhouse]

Next up, the Fiji Bati take on the Cook Island Aitu in the men's Test match at Port Moresby's National Stadium. Kick off is at 4:00pm. Broadcast on Nine/GEM and Fox League. Live scores right here.

There are no current Canberra Raiders representatives in this one, but plenty of former Raiders - and players we're very familiar with from their time with former feeder team, Mt Pritchard. The former Canberra juniors include Mikaele Ravalawa, Gordon Whippy and Will Samuel.

Here are the final teams:

Fiji

1. Jahream Bula 2. Maika Sivo 3. Sunia Turuva 4. Waqa Blake 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Kurt Donoghoe 7. Brandon Wakeham 8. Tui Kamikamica 14. Noah Nailagoliva 16. Gordon Whippy 11. Kitione Kautoga 13. Taane Milne 15. Caleb Navale

9. Penioni Tagituimua 12. Apisalome Saukuru 17. Watasoni Waqanisaravi 20. Sirilo Lovokuro

21. Pio Seci

Cook Islands

1. Esom Ioka 2. Malachi Morgan 3. Kayal Iro 4. Alvin Maungatti 5. Steven Marsters 6. Brad Takairangi 7. Esan Marsters 8. Davvy Moale 9. Ruatapu Ngatikaura 10. William Samuel 11. Zane Tetevano 12. Reuben Porter 13. Pride Petterson-Robati

14. Kadiyae Ioka 15. Rhys Dakin 16. Justin Makirere 17. Takai Mokohar

18. Isaiah Cooper-Tetevano

[The Greenhouse]

Teams are out on the field for the national anthems. The crowd has built, but a long way from a sell out at the National Stadium at Port Moresby. Probably not the best location for this Test match. The Cook Islands team performs the Pe'e, and now the traditional hymn from Fiji.

[The Greenhouse]

Cook Islands kick off, we are underway.

[The Greenhouse]

19th min TRY COOK ISLANDS to Esan Marsters under the posts, running on the last. A great step in there. The Cook Islands have done remarkably well in the opening 20 minutes, holding out Fiji and mounting some counter attack. Converted from in front by Steven Marsters.

Cook Islands 6-0

[The Greenhouse]

25th min TRY FIJI to Maika Sivo out wide. Fiji finally put some attack together, with Waqa Blake's run and pass setting it up. No conversion.

Cook Islands 6-4

[The Greenhouse]

32nd min SIN BIN FIJI for a shoulder to the head of Cook Islands forward Rhys Dakin by Kitione Kautoga.

The Cook Islands held up on the first tackle after the penalty, but they waste the opportunity on the ensuing plays.

[The Greenhouse]

HALF TIME

Cook Islands Aitu 6
Fiji Bati 4