Cook Islands make history to win Pacific Bowl

Joel Gould | October 25, 2025

Cook Islands have won the Pacific Bowl with a stunning 42-24 comeback win over Tonga in Port Moresby.

Unstoppable bench forward Kerehitina Matua stormed over for two second-half tries to help seal the deal.

The Moana trailed Tonga 10-0 early in the match but showed superior fitness and finishing prowess to secure back-to-back victories for the first time in their history to win the tournament.

They had upset PNG Orchids 34-6 the previous week. The Moana were brilliantly led by fullback Kiana Takairangi.

Winger Kiarah Siauane crossed for a double, the second of which was scored right on full-time as the Cook Islands bench rose as one in jubilation.

The Tongans started the clash on fire, with Canterbury powerhouse Kalosipani Hopoate making an early impact.

It was Hopoate who stormed through the defence in the leadup to the opening try to halfback Emmanita Paki.

Paki then turned it on with a scintillating display of her skills when she dinked a kick over the Cook Islands defence to perfection.

Winger Simina Lokotui raced onto the kick at pace to catch it and weave her way over to score an absolute cracker.

Cook Islands showed last week with their upset win over PNG that they are a force to be reckoned with and they went close to scoring twice before breaking through.

Centre Deleni Paitai showcased her strength and hole-running abilities to slice through and score a deserved try. 

Lock Jazmon Tupou-Witchman crashed over from close range to give the Cook Islands the lead.

As the halftime siren sounded winger Paulina Morris-Ponga, who scored a hat-trick last week, snuck over out wide.

Tonga five-eighth Malia Tuifua laid on two tries with perfectly-weighted grubber kicks in the second stanza for Moana Courtenay and Shannon Muru.

Powerful forwards Matua and Ngatokotoru Arakua stormed in with brute strength for the Cook Islands.

The match was on a knife’s edge with Cook Islands leading 28-24. 

Tonga went close to scoring before the Moana went the length of the field for winger Siauane to go over. When she added her second try Cook Islands had made history.