Veteran player Michael Jennings achieved a remarkable hat-trick as the Vodafone Fiji Bati dominated the Cook Islands, securing a 56-6 victory in their second match of the NRL Pacific Bowl Championship held in Suva.
The Cook Islands initially took the lead with a swift try from Rua Ngatikaura, but Fiji quickly responded with a flurry of four tries. Sunia Turuva opened the Fijian scoring, followed by Jennings who scored two tries, and Kitione Kautoga capped off the first half. Taane Milne converted all the tries, which allowed Fiji to establish a 24-6 lead at halftime.
The second half was a showcase of Fijian strength, as they overran the Cook Islands defense to add six more tries from Semi Valemei (two tries), Maika Sivo (two tries), Jennings, and Ben Nakubuwai. Milne concluded the game with a notable performance, accumulating 230 meters, alongside seven successful conversions and three offloads.
This victory keeps the Fiji Bati in the race for the Pacific Bowl and the chance for promotion to the Pacific Cup in 2025. They will now rely on the Cook Islands to secure a win against Papua New Guinea in Week 3.
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