Good start in Tahiti

The Cook Islands national rugby sevens team got their 2010 IRB sevens circuit qualifying campaign off to a fantastic start winning their first two matches on day one of the Oceania FORU men’s sevens tournament in Tahiti.

The Cook Islands team faced Vanuatu in their first match of the tournament on Thursday.

With Koiatu Koiatu in fine form, the team cruised home to a 31-14 win over Vanuatu with Koiatu scoring two tries while Patella Tou, Jerome Vogel and Francis Takiari all scored one try each.

A confident Cook Islands team then faced hosts Tahiti in their second match of the day.

The game was a one sided affair with the Cooks easily putting Tahiti away 45-0 with tries coming via Koiatu, Rangi Vallance, Pattella Tou, Dexter Maloney, Matt Henry, Jerome Vogel and Jay Karaitiana.

Koiatu kicked three conversions while Amos Ioasa kicked two conversions.

Team manager Anthony Turua reported from Tahiti that they were injury free heading into day two of the competition yesterday with three late afternoon games on the cards for the team.

The team faced Samoa first yesterday afternoon then Tonga and Niue.

Today is the last day of the tournament with the Cook Islands to face Papua New Guinea first up at 3pm before the business end of the tournament is played out throughout the afternoon.

This is the qualifying tournament for the 2010 IRB rugby sevens tournaments to be held in Wellington, Adelaide and Hong Kong, and also for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Messages of support can be sent by email to team manager Anthony Turua on turua@hotmail.com or you can call them at the Radisson Motel on (689) 488 888 room 7102.