The Vaine Moana are Pacific Bowl champions. They came from 10-0 down to beat Tonga 42-24 at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby, winning the first trophy for a Cook Islands team in an elite international competition.
The Moana led 16-10 at half-time and scored eight tries to five. Bench forward Kerehitina Matua crossed twice in the second half, and winger Kiarah Siauane scored a double, the second right on full-time as the Cook Islands bench rose as one. Lock Jazmon Tupou-Witchman also scored, and Chantay Kiria-Ratu kicked five goals.
A week earlier the Moana beat the PNG Orchids 34-6, ending a three-year winless run. It was the first time they had won back-to-back Tests.
Captain Kiana Takairangi led from fullback, and coach Ron Griffiths, who guided the Knights to back-to-back NRLW premierships in 2022 and 2023, said the team believed it could make history.
They know we can go and create history.Ron Griffiths, Moana coach
