2025 Pacific Championships: Round 2 Recap

Check out what happened in round 2 of the Pacific Championships competition.

Review

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Toa Samoa and the Australian Jillaroos both qualified for their Pacific Cup Finals after big wins at Suncorp Stadium.

In front of over 44,000 fans, Samoa led the Tonga XIII 16-0 after 46 minutes. Jeremiah Nanai scored a double: his first try after a fingertip catch from a Jarome Luai bomb and his second chasing his own kick following some wonderful ad-lib footy to keep the ball alive on the last tackle. After a 90 minute lightning delay (with 20 minutes of play left), Murray Taulagi and Payne Haas scored two tries in four minutes to put the game away. New Zealand (2 points, +6) plays Tonga (0, -28) in the last group game next weekend to decide who plays Samoa (2, +22) in the Pacific Cup Final.

The Jillaroos scored 11 tries against Fetu Samoa (with doubles to Jessica Sergis, Tamika Upton, and Julia Robinson), building on a 26-0 half-time lead. After leading 20-0 at half-time last weekend, Samoa conceded 82 straight points in 70 minutes against New Zealand and Australia. The Jillaroos and the Kiwi Ferns’ game next weekend will be a warm up for the Pacific Cup Final.

The PNG Kumuls and Cook Islands Moana both won at Santos National Football Stadium (Port Moresby): the Kumuls will play Fiji Bati next weekend to decide the men’s Pacific Bowl title (with PNG winning in 2024), while the Cook Islands secured the women’s Pacific Bowl.

A Robert Derby double set up PNG’s 22-12 half-time lead against Cook Islands Aitu. Tries to Caelys-Paul Putoko, Esom Ioka, and Delahia Wigmore kept the Cook Islands within six points before Gairo Voro’s try on full-time sealed the Kumuls’ win.

The Cook Islands led the Tonga XIII 28-24 after 53 minutes before Kiarah Siauane (two tries) and Kerehitina Matua (her second try) scored the last three tries to seal the game. Leading 10-0 after nine minutes, Tonga came from 22-10 down (tries to Seli Mailangi, Moana Courtenay, and Shannon Muru) to get within four points. The Cook Islands finished with two wins and a +46 differential while Tonga and the PNG Orchids are both winless.

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Results

PNG Kumuls 40 Cook Islands Aitu 28

Player Stats Table

PNG Kumuls

Player Name	Tries	Conversions	1-Pt FG	2-Pt FG	Points
Morea Morea	1	0	0	0	4
Robert Derby	2	0	0	0	8
Zac Laybutt	1	1	0	0	6
Nene Macdonald	0	0	0	0	0
Alex Johnston	1	0	0	0	4
Gairo Voro	1	0	0	0	4
Lachlan Lam	0	0	0	0	0
Epel Kapinias	0	0	0	0	0
Edwin Ipape	0	0	0	0	0
Jack De Belin	0	0	0	0	0
Rhyse Martin	1	5	0	0	14
Nixon Putt	0	0	0	0	0
Liam Horne	0	0	0	0	0
Finley Glare	0	0	0	0	0
Jacob Alick-Wiencke	0	0	0	0	0
Cooper Bai	0	0	0	0	0
Sylvester Namo	0	0	0	0	0
Robert Mathias (Replacement – did not play)	0	0	0	0	0

Cook Islands Aitu

Player Name	Tries	Conversions	1-Pt FG	2-Pt FG	Points
Esan Marsters	0	0	0	0	0
Paul Ulberg	0	0	0	0	0
KL Iro	0	0	0	0	0
Reubenn Rennie	1	0	0	0	4
Esom Ioka	1	4	0	0	12
Caelys-Paul Putoko	1	0	0	0	4
Cassius Cowley	0	0	0	0	0
Makahesi Makatoa	0	0	0	0	0
Mason Teague	0	0	0	0	0
Brendan Piakura	0	0	0	0	0
Reuben Porter	0	0	0	0	0
Pride Petterson-Robati	0	0	0	0	0
Rua Ngatikaura	1	0	0	0	4
Brody Tamarua	0	0	0	0	0
Rhys Dakin	0	0	0	0	0
Delahia Wigmore	1	0	0	0	4
Teapo Stoltman (Replacement – did not play)	0	0	0	0	0
Justin Makirere	0	0	0	0	0

Score Timeline

Minute	Team	Player	Event Type	PNG Score	Cook Islands Score	Biggest Lead
0	–	–	Kick-off	0	0	Scores level
4	Cook Islands	Rua Ngatikaura	Try	0	4	Cook Islands by 4
6	Cook Islands	Esom Ioka	Conversion	0	6	Cook Islands by 6
12	PNG	Robert Derby	Try	4	6	Cook Islands by 2
13	PNG	Rhyse Martin	Conversion	6	6	Scores level
19	Cook Islands	Reubenn Rennie	Try	6	10	PNG by 4
20	Cook Islands	Esom Ioka	Conversion	6	12	PNG by 6
26	PNG	Rhyse Martin	Try	10	12	PNG by 2
27	PNG	Rhyse Martin	Conversion	12	12	PNG by 0
31	PNG	Robert Derby	Try	16	12	PNG by 4
36	PNG	Rhyse Martin	Conversion	18	12	PNG by 6
35	PNG	Alex Johnston	Try	22	12	PNG by 10
HT (40’)				22	12	PNG by 10
51	Cook Islands	Caelys-Paul Putoko	Try	22	16	PNG by 6
56	PNG	Zac Laybutt	Try	26	16	PNG by 10
56	PNG	Rhyse Martin	Conversion	28	16	PNG by 12
60	Cook Islands	Esom Ioka	Try	28	20	PNG by 8
62	Cook Islands	Esom Ioka	Conversion	28	22	PNG by 6
66	PNG	Morea Morea	Try	32	22	PNG by 10
67	PNG	Rhyse Martin	Conversion	34	22	PNG by 12
73	Cook Islands	Delahia Wigmore	Try	34	26	PNG by 8
74	Cook Islands	Esom Ioka	Conversion	34	28	PNG by 6
79	PNG	Gairo Voro	Try	38	28	PNG by 10
80	PNG	Zac Laybutt	Conversion	40	28	PNG by 12 (Biggest Lead)

Toa Samoa 34 Tonga 6

Player Stats Table

Toa Samoa

Player Name	Tries	Conversions	1-Pt FG	2-Pt FG	Points
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	0	0	0	0	0
Brian To’o	0	0	0	0	0
Izack Tago	1	0	0	0	4
Deine Mariner	0	0	0	0	0
Murray Taulagi	1	0	0	0	4
Blaize Talagi	0	4	0	0	8
Jarome Luai	0	0	0	0	0
Josh Papalii	0	0	0	0	0
Jazz Tevaga	0	0	0	0	0
Payne Haas	1	0	0	0	4
Jeremiah Nanai	2	0	0	0	8
Simi Sasagi	0	0	0	0	0
Junior Paulo	0	0	0	0	0
Chanel Harris-Tavita	1	0	0	0	4
Benaiah Ioelu	0	0	0	0	0
Francis Molo	0	0	0	0	0
Terrell May	0	0	0	0	0
Ativalu Lisati (18th man – did not play)	0	0	0	0	0

Player Name	Tries	Conversions	1-Pt FG	2-Pt FG	Points
Lehi Hopoate	0	0	0	0	0
Daniel Tupou	0	0	0	0	0
Tolutau Koula	1	0	0	0	4
Robert Toia	0	0	0	0	0
Sione Katoa	0	0	0	0	0
Isaiah Iongi	0	0	0	0	0
Isaiya Katoa	0	1	0	0	2
Addin Fonua-Blake	0	0	0	0	0
Siliva Havili	0	0	0	0	0
Stefano Utoikamanu	0	0	0	0	0
Siua Wong	0	0	0	0	0
Eliesa Katoa	0	0	0	0	0
Soni Luke	0	0	0	0	0
Leka Halasima	0	0	0	0	0
Felise Kaufusi	0	0	0	0	0
Moeaki Fotuaika	0	0	0	0	0
Demitric Vaimauga	0	0	0	0	0
Paul Alamoti (18th man – did not play)	0	0	0	0	0

Score Timeline

Minute	Team	Player	Event Type	Tonga XIII Score	Toa Samoa Score	Biggest Lead
8	Samoa	Izack Tago	Try	0	4	Samoa by 4
18	Samoa	Blaize Talagi	Penalty Goal	0	6	Samoa by 6
28	Samoa	Jeremiah Nanai	Try	0	10	Samoa by 10
29	Samoa	Blaize Talagi	Conversion	0	12	Samoa by 12
46	Samoa	Jeremiah Nanai	Try	0	16	Samoa by 16
59	Play suspended					Samoa by 16
61	Samoa	Murray Taulagi	Try	0	20	Samoa by 20
63	Samoa	Blaize Talagi	Conversion	0	22	Samoa by 22
65	Samoa	Payne Haas	Try	0	26	Samoa by 26
66	Samoa	Blaize Talagi	Conversion	0	28	Samoa by 28
75	Samoa	Chanel Harris-Tavita	Try	0	32	Samoa by 32
77	Samoa	Blaize Talagi	Conversion	0	34	Samoa by 34
78	Tonga XIII	Tolutau Koula	Try	4	34	Samoa by 34
79	Tonga XIII	Isaiya Katoa	Conversion	6	34	Samoa by 28