Cook Islands must focus on their next matches to maintain their standings at the Pacific Championships.

The Aitu men will face Papua New Guinea Kumuls in Port Moresby this week and a win is crucial for their chances in the Pacific Bowl, they must defeat the Kumuls by 77 points after losing to Fiji last week.

Both Aitu, and the women’s, Moana, faced tough challenges against Fiji at Suva’s HFC Stadium.

The men’s team opened strongly with a try from Rua Ngatikaura, but Fiji Bati’s dominant offense led to a decisive 56-6 victory.

Aitu’s coach Karmichael Hunt acknowledged Fiji’s performance, stating, “Fiji Bati gave us a strong game.”

However, the captain emphasised the team’s resolve to improve in the next match.

In the women’s game, despite Fiji's overall dominance, Cook Islands struck first with a try from Kerehitina Matua, converted by Charntay Poko.

However, Moana's defense faltered, with 23 missed tackles in the first 18 minutes, allowing Fiji's Bulikula to regain control and ultimately win 18-6.

With this victory, Fiji Bulikula secured a place in the World Cup qualifier and is guaranteed another chance if they lose to Samoa Fetu, as the loser will play in the 2025 World Series for the final RLWC2026 berth.

NRL statistics highlighted Fiji’s dominance across both games; Fiji Bati outran Aitu by over 800 meters, with Taane Milne amassing 230 meters, along with seven conversions and three offloads. The combined error rate was high, with both teams committing 29 errors in total, and Delahia Wigmore was reported for a dangerous tackle.

Looking ahead, the Cook Islands must focus on their next matches to maintain their standings. The Aitu men will face Papua New Guinea- Kumuls in Port Moresby, where a win is crucial for their chances in the Pacific Bowl.

PNG can secure a shot at promotion to the 2025 Pacific Cup if they defeat the Cook Islands next Sunday.

If Cook Islands wins, Fiji will almost certainly advance to the promotion-relegation playoff against the third-placed Pacific Cup team at CommBank Stadium on November 10. Although Cook Islands can still win the Pacific Bowl and vie for promotion, they must defeat the Kumuls by 77 points to surpass Fiji’s for-and-against record of +38 points.

With their sights set on the upcoming matches, both Cook Islands teams aim to refine their strategies and capitalise on the lessons learned from their encounters with Fiji. The focus now shifts to bouncing back and securing victories in the crucial games ahead.