Kiwis considering Kuki compensation

New Zealand Rugby League is preparing a range of proposals to present to its Cook Islands counterpart as possible compensation for the cancelled Kiwis-Kukis international test match.

The NZRL board of directors met last week to discuss, among an agenda full of business, the failed October 6 test match which was scheduled to be played on Rarotonga.

Chairman Scott Carter said the board was considering many options that it would offer to CIRL as an alternative to the match.

A number of options clearly exist to support Cook Islands Rugby League, as outlined in our discussions with them, he said.

We are presently talking with our commercial partners to maximise any potential benefits for CIRL.

These talks are likely to take a few more weeks and we anticipate being in a position to present various proposals to CIRL in January.

Among the options NZRL and CIRL discussed in October was the possibility of a full rematch between the Kiwis and the Kukis international squads, a match between the Kukis and a junior Kiwis squad and the possibility of a test match between the Kiwis and a combined Pacific squad.

In October, Carter said it would be desirable to have the Kiwis play an international test match against the Kukis in the Cook Islands but NZRL would have to see if the match was viable before it would commit.

CIRL has been pursuing a full rematch of the failed match and is still pushing to have a full-strength Kiwi side test out the Kukis in Rarotonga.