Clinical CISA crush Navy cadets

An exhibition of rugby union by the Cook Islands Sports Academy saw them overwhelm the Australian Navy Cadet team 48-0.

The CISA boys prepared well for this game but were surprised to see the opposition during warm up half an hour before the game practising their lineout and a few rugby union moves.

It eventuated in some anxious moments for both team officials and players who were left trying to iron out the confusion in having a league team play a rugby union team.

In the end the CISA officials opted to play union and fortunately for CISA, many of the boys are still fresh from playing in the union grand final held a week ago in the Cooks.

The navy cadets certainly had some big boys in the team but it is was the fitness and the speed of the CISA side that got around the park to score some very good tries.

Tutors Bilsy Gukisuva and Lloyd Matapo had to play to beef up the forwards assisted by Australian based locals Mark Tuaati and Mana Ngau.

The game was organised by the Australian Rugby League development office to play the cadet team as the curtain raiser to the Australian Navy’s match against the New Zealand Navy in a tri-series with the England Navy.

In the main game, the New Zealand Navy beat the Australian Navy and will face England on Sunday. The final tri-series game between Australia and England will take place on the following Wednesday.

CISA provided a cultural performance after the main game for the all the navy teams and the crowd and they certainly enjoyed the experience being part of this special event.

The team will spend their final two days in Sydney doing a variety of activities, including training with the senior Cook Islands rugby league team and performing their cultural dance at a Cook Islands community function before flying out on Saturday (local time).