Kiria-Ratu sisters ready to party as Test debut finally arrives

Anne-Marie Kiria-Ratu has a 20th birthday to look forward to next week.

But first, the emerging forward has a much more important milestone to tick off. 

An international rugby league debut. 

It's a moment that's been a long time coming. 

Kiria-Ratu was selected in the Cook Islands Pacific Championships squad in 2023 and turned 18 the day before the side's clash with Papua New Guinea. 

The birthday celebrations quickly turned sour, however, after she tore her ACL in the captain's run. 

A gruelling recovery process followed, but now the 19-year-old is finally back in the representative arena and preparing to make her Test debut when the Moana face Papua New Guinea on Saturday afternoon. 

"I'm excited to be back," Kiria-Ratu said. "I had a setback the last time I came over here. 

"I'm excited to get out on the field with the girls this time around."

Saturday's match is the opening game of the Women's Pacific Bowl tournament, with Tonga to also participate in the three-team competition. 

Anne-Marie is joined in the Cook Islands side by older sister Chantay Kiria-Ratu, with the duo hoping to kick off dual birthday celebrations with a win. 

Chantay will turn 21 on Monday before Anne-Marie turns 20 on Tuesday. The pair are set to return to the Gold Coast to celebrate the occasion with their friends and family before turning their focus to next Saturday's clash with Tonga.

The halfback has endured plenty of injury struggles of her own, but has been impressed with the way her younger sister has overcome numerous setbacks to get back on the field. 

"She had about two years off footy and seeing her come back and getting a debut shows how much hard work she's done with no one watching her," Chantay said. 

"Getting to play with my sister and her getting to debut with me at Cronulla was super special. Putting on our Cook Islands jerseys to represent our people and our families back home is even more special for us to get on that field together."

The Kiria-Ratu sisters were two of the breakout stars of the 2025 NRLW season, with Chantay coming within a whisker of leading Cronulla to the decider. 

The halfback joined the side earlier this year after the Sharks lured her away from the Titans, with Anne-Marie following her sister south to play for the club's Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership team. 

Chantay didn't look out of place in the No.7 jersey and produced a number of clutch plays throughout the year, including kicking a golden point field goal to lead Cronulla past Newcastle in Round 9. 

While moving from Gold Coast to southern Sydney was a daunting prospect, the playmaker said the Sharks helped ensure she was able focus fully on her on-field performances.

"Cronulla made it easy to move," Chantay said. "We got to stay in a unit together, we got to share a car together and travelled to training together. 

"The girls at Cronulla made it easy for us and it felt like home in the Shire. We enjoyed ourselves down there and can't wait to go back next year. 

"Getting so close [to the grand final] brings a lot of hunger and we can use that to drive us into next season."

Anne-Marie expected to spend the year in reserve grade, but an impressive pre-season saw her upgraded to a development deal before a string of injuries saw coach Tony Herman thrust her into the top flight just four weeks into the NRLW season.  

The edge forward quickly proved she belonged at that level and went on to play nine games, including two finals matches. 

Now, she gets to play alongside her older sister in a Cook Islands jumper and Anne-Marie said childhood memories will come flooding back to her on Saturday afternoon. 

"When we get to jump on the field together it takes us back to when we used to play when we were young," Anne-Marie said. 

"We love sharing the field together and we can just give each other a look and we know what play is on. We don't have to say much, we just give a look and can tell each other what we're doing without speaking."