Brad and Kiana Takairangi are set to make history by serving as captains for the Cook Islands Aitu and Moana teams in Saturday’s Pacific Championships double-header against Fiji. This marks the inaugural instance of a brother-sister duo captainning their country’s men’s and women’s teams at the same time.
Kiana will take the helm of the Moana team while Brad will lead the Aitu. Their eligibility stems from their father, Louis Takairangi.
Kiana, who was part of Newcastle’s championship-winning NRLW team in 2022, expressed her excitement about assuming the captaincy for the first time. Both teams are aiming for victory to enhance their chances of qualification; the Aitu aims to garner respect for their small nation and entice more players to join the Cook Islands representation.