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The standout player was Brian Akava of the Country Maroons, who was named MVP of the second game of the Origin Series. Akava scored three touchdowns, broke through the defense, made interceptions, played playmaking, and maintained a strong defensive presence. CIRL/24062304
The Country Maroons staged a comeback to beat the Town Blues 32-26 in the second match of the Cook Islands Rugby Union Interstate Origin Series, while the Town Whites lifted the Conan Cup after their second win.
After suffering a crushing defeat in extra time in the first leg, the Maroons showed their resilience and strategic prowess in a thrilling match at Aretre Park in Awatiu on Saturday that left fans on the edge of their seats.
The game started with a bang, as Josh Koroy scored a pass to the far right within the first 20 minutes, giving the Blue Team a 4-0 lead. The Maroons responded quickly, scoring again five minutes later to take a 6-4 lead. Dan Taukia scored another point on the far left, extending the Maroons’ lead to 10-4. The Maroons’ strong backcourt attack, coupled with the space created by the forwards, kept the Blue Team on edge.
Ryan Toa’s excellent shot and chase gave the Maroons another point, and after Brian Akava’s successful shot, the score increased to 16-4. The Blues did not back down, and Toru Katuke broke through the defense and assisted Josh Motu to score, making the score 8-16. Both teams lost possession twice, and then the momentum changed several times, and Brian Akava once again shot the ball over the defense to extend the Maroons’ lead to 22-8.
Before halftime, the Blues launched a powerful attack, with the forwards sprinting to create space. This powerful attack allowed Jale Lagidela to quickly find an opportunity, cross the line, and convert a touchdown to narrow the score to 14-22.
The second half began with a strong individual performance from Tama Nicholas, who advanced 40 meters and scored to bring the score to 20-22. The Maroons came back with a strong run, finishing on the Blues’ scoring line and extending their lead to 28-20 thanks to another Akava score.
The Blues’ Katuk played a major role by breaking through the defense and scoring successfully, reducing the score to 26-28. Despite the Blues’ hard work, the Maroons’ defense remained impenetrable and neutralized two Blues attacks in the last 20 minutes. Finally, the Maroons’ forward opened a gap for Kaleb, who crossed the defense and sealed the game with a score of 32-26.
The standout player this weekend was Brian Akava of the Country Maroons, who was named MVP of Game 2 of the Origin Series. Akava scored three touchdowns, broke through the line, broke tackles, played offense, and held strong defense. His high-pressure offense kept the Blues unpredictable throughout the game.
Maroons coach Dion Nepia praised his team, saying, “We looked at a few areas that needed to change in our offense, and I felt like we did a good job in some areas. But we’re still giving up points easily, and that’s something we need to address.”
“They’re going to send heavy players to the tiebreaker like Tua, Tevita and Ozzie, but we’ll see how it goes. It’s worth mentioning that Brian Akava’s position change didn’t bother him, and he was rewarded with three touchdowns for his control of the game.
“Kaleb Chase and Dan Taokia scored one point each with strong direct running and strong defending. Pillars Rob Heather and Clarke Ngaau laid the foundation and led the way. Timo Tangirere defended very well. We need to do better next (week).”
Blues co-manager Clive Nicholas acknowledged their shortcomings, saying: “We had a few niggles yesterday (Saturday) which cost us a game… We will deal with them this week. We were outclassed by a very fast country team! But it was a good thing and made the final game more interesting.”
In the women’s event, the Town Whites performed well against the Country Blacks. The Whites launched a powerful attack and pushed the Blacks into their own defense.
The game remained calm and the Whites made sure to finish the match, leading 14-12 at halftime. However, the Village Blacks fought back, forced the Whites into turnovers, and reduced the deficit to 24-22 at fulltime. Despite their efforts, the Town Whites were awarded the Conan Cup for the 2024 season after their second win.
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