INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE · MEN’S TEAM
Cook Islands national rugby league team
Cook Islands men
The Cook Islands men’s national rugby league team began international competition in 1986. It made its first men’s Rugby League World Cup appearance in 2000.
- International beginnings
- 1986 international debut
- First men’s World Cup
- 2000
- World Cup record through 2022
- Group-stage appearances in 2000, 2013 and the 2021 edition played in 2022
When did Cook Islands’s team begin?
The early international record begins with the 1986 Pacific Cup in Rarotonga. Rugby League Project records a 22–8 win over Niue in that competition. The year identifies the national side’s international beginnings; it should not be read as the date when rugby league was first played domestically in the islands.
Key milestones
- 1986 — The Cook Islands competed in the Pacific Cup, including a win over Niue.
- 2000 — The national side made its men’s World Cup debut.
- 2013 — The Cook Islands returned to the World Cup.
- 2022 — The team competed in the postponed 2021 edition.
Understanding this team
The Cook Islands national side has its own international record, distinct from New Zealand’s Kiwis and from club competitions. The Pacific Cup was an important early setting for the team, while World Cup participation gave it a wider international stage.
Sources and further reading
- Rugby League Project: Cook Islands results
- Rugby League Project: Cook Islands competitions
- NRL: Cook Islands Pacific Cup progression
Profile researched: 24 October 2026. Dates distinguish representative-team origins from governing-body formation where the sources make that distinction.