Iro's Cook Islands connect with culture ahead of RLWC26 qualifier

Queensland Origin star Val Holmes joined the Cook Islands on a trip to Rarotonga as they reconnected with their culture ahead of Sunday’s World Cup qualifier against South Africa.

Holmes, who is recovering from a shoulder injury that cut short his NRL season with the Dragons, has pledged his allegiance to the Cook Islands if they claim the last berth at RLWC26 at CommBank Stadium.

The former Kangaroos back, whose mother Lucy was born in the Cook Islands, trained with his future international team-mates as he helped Hunt and Alex Glenn prepare the Aitu for their most important match in six years.

The winner of the RLWC26 qualifier will join the Kangaroos, Kiwis, England, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Lebanon and France at the World Cup in Australia and PNG.  

The Aitu will be boosted for the qualifying match by Warriors forward Marata Niukore and Rabbitohs prop Davvy Moale, who missed the Pacific Championships campaign in Port Moresby before the squad flew to Rarotonga for a camp.

Niukore switched his allegiance to play for the Kiwis at the last World Cup in 2022 but will return to the Cook Islands for the first time since the RLWC21 qualifier against the Rhinos in 2019.

Moale has been sidelined by a wrist injury but Hunt said both would play in the World Cup qualifier, which will be played before the men’s and women’s Pacific Cup finals.

“Marata will join us in Sydney, while Davvy was just a week behind with his wrist injury, so he didn’t play in PNG,” Hunt said.

“It is always nice to have our top NRL boys join us but one thing we want to make sure is that when you pull on that Cook Islands jersey, whether you are playing Queensland Cup, NSW Cup, SG Ball or NRL, you pull it on with pride and you go out there and try to do your job.”

Australian Schoolboys dual international Glassie Glassie, who plays SG Ball for Wests Tigers, also joined the Aitu squad in Cook Islands.  

The players met with members of the 1995 Cook Islands team, who are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their win in the Emerging Nations World Cup in England, and will draw inspiration from the Craig Bowen-captained side.

The 1995 and 2025 teams attended a function hosted by Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, His Excellency Sir Tom Marsters, the Kings Representative to Cook Islands, alongside Ministers, Members of Parliament and Numangatini Ariki.

Australian High Commissioner Susannah Hodson also hosted the team, while Aitu players engaged in cultural activities and community programs, including visits to local clubs and junior coaching clinics.

Aitu captain KL Iro grew up in Rarotonga before moving to New Zealand to complete high school and later joining the Sharks.

Iro's mother Tina is president of the Arorangi Bears, while his father Kevin is considered the Cook Islands greatest player.

“For the last three years I have been pushing for our squad to go back home so I am happy we finally got that done, and got a few sponsors on board,” the Sharks centre said. “We will head into the South Africa game ready to roll.

“That is our most important game, qualifying for the World Cup, because we will get a few boys back next year, as well. We are building our squad now and once we get a few more boys come in we will be strong.

“I feel like we have been closer to winning games, and we are building to something. Every year I feel like we have been getting better. If we have a few of our topline boys back it will be very promising.”

The Aitu proved competitive against Fiji and Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Championships but fell away in both games.

However, Hunt said there were a lot of positives to take from their performances against the Bati and Kumuls, who have more NRL and Super League stars to draw on than the Cook Islands.

Hunt believes the trip to the Cook Islands will bring the squad closer together for their World Cup qualifying match against the Rhinos.

“Obviously, KL grew up there and a lot of other players - and coaches, like myself - have been back there, but for us as a team to be able to go and get amongst our people, and understand who we are a bit deeper is great preparation for us heading into a must win game against South Africa,” he said