Veteran Michael Jennings made a significant impact, scoring three tries as the Vodafone Fiji Bati secured a commanding 56-6 victory over the Cook Islands in their second match of the NRL Pacific Bowl Championship in Suva.
The Cook Islands initially took the lead with a try from Rua Ngatikaura, but the Fijians quickly responded, scoring four consecutive tries. Sunia Turuva was the first to score for Fiji, followed by Jennings with two tries, and Kitione Kautoga completed the first half’s scoring. Taane Milne successfully converted all tries, leading Fiji to a 24-6 advantage at halftime.
The second half was dominated by the Fijian team, which added six more tries against the Cook Islands’ defense. Semi Valemei and Maika Sivo each scored two tries, while Jennings and Ben Nakubuwai contributed to the scoreline. Milne had an impressive game, covering 230 meters along with seven successful conversions and three offloads.
This victory keeps the Fiji Bati in contention for the Pacific Bowl title and the opportunity for promotion to the Pacific Cup in 2025. They will now be rooting for the Cook Islands in their upcoming match against Papua New Guinea in Week 3.
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