The Cook Islands Aitu rugby league team held their first training session yesterday morning at Albert Park in Suva as they prepare for their upcoming match against the Vodafone Fiji Bati this Saturday, part of the second week of the 2024 NRL Pacific Championships.
Coach Karmichael Hunt noted that the players had a productive training session following their arrival in Fiji on Saturday night and were eager to return to the field again today at 8 a.m. “We’re really looking forward to getting back on the training track tomorrow (today), and then finishing our preparation off on Thursday,” he said.
As Hunt looks forward to the game against the Bati, he highlighted the players’ fitness levels as a significant aspect leading into the session. “I really enjoyed the intensity of the session; quite a few boys have finished footy for over a month now, while some have only been out for a couple of weeks.”
In their previous meeting in 2023, the Bati narrowly defeated the Aitu 22-18 in a challenging match for the Cook Islands, who had faced a significant defeat of 10-46 against the Papua New Guinea Kumuls prior to that encounter.
Hunt emphasized the importance of the upcoming match against the Bati for their hopes of qualifying for the Rugby League World Cup. “When you play for your country against another country, the stakes are always higher. The boys are really proud Cook Islanders who want to go out there and represent their country and heritage well,” he remarked.