IT TOOK until the second half of the final pool match but Kevin Walters’ Australian side finally found some form.
The Roos led 28-6 at halftime after another unconvincing period following hard-fought wins against New Zealand and Fiji.
But ordered to by Walters in the second half at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Australia finally began to purr as they ran up a 66-6 scoreline, wingers Jack Bostock and Tom Trbojevic each registering hat-tricks.
The most significant aspect of the first half is that Cook Islands actually led for six minutes.
After an early, soft try to Australia winger Jack Bostock, Cook Islands hooker Ruatapu Ngatikaura burrowed over from dummy half and Valentine Holmes converted for a scoreline worth photographing.
The try was in the 10th minute, the conversion in the 12th and it wasn’t until the 18th that the Cup holders reclaimed the lead until winger Tom Trbojevic reclaimed the lead after Tom Dearden’s break.
Next in line to score was prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui off Trbojevic’s pass, then Dearden conjured up another for centre Kotoni Staggs.
Crowd favourite Reece Walsh then backed up Jacob Preston’s break, with Cameron Munster taking over the goalkicking, before Holmes was reported for a hip drop on Munster.
After halftime there were six consecutive tries up to the hour mark – and then the scoring abruptly stopped until Harry Grant crossed in the final couple of minutes.
AUSTRALIA 66 (Bostock 3 Trbojevioc 3 Fa’asuamaleaui 2 Staggs Walsh Preston Grant try Munster 5 Walsh 30 tries) beat COOK ISLANDS 6 (Ngatikaura try Holmes goal) at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Crowd: 19,172
Teams:
AUSTRALIA: Reece Walsh (Brisbane); Jack Bostock (Dolphins), Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane), Bradman Best (Newcastle), Tom Trbojevic (Manly); Cameron Munster (Melbourne), Tom Dearden (North Queensland); Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane), Harry Grant (Melbourne), Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast), Jacob Preston (Canterbury), Liam Martin (Penrith), Isaah Yeo (capt, Penrith).
Reserves: Ethan Strange (Canberra), Keaon Koloamatangi (South Sydney), Reuben Cotter (North Queensland), Lindsay Smith (Penrith), James Tedesco (Sydney), David Fifita (South Sydney).
COOK ISLANDS: Valentine Holmes (St George Illawarra); Cameron Brown (Brisbane Tigers), KL Iro (capt, Cronulla), Reubenn Rennie (Toulouse), Esan Marsters (Bradford); Maui Winitana-Patelesio (NZ Warriors), Brad Takairangi (Glebe); Davvy Moale (Melbourne), Ruatapu Ngatikaura (Glebe), Rhys Dakin (Sydney Roosters), Chaev Kolone (Canberra), Delahia Wigmore (Penrith), Mason Teague (Wakefield).
Reserves: David Tuariki (Melbourne), Makahesi Makatoa (Sydney Roosters), Pride Petterson-Robati (Souths Logan), Amare Milford (Melbourne), K-Ci Newton-Whare (Melbourne), Glassie Glassie (Wests Tigers).
Referee: Ashley Klein.
