USA, the World Cup giant-killers, were winners again after the Cook Islands became the second team to be eliminated from the tournament.
Tonga’s thrilling 22-16 victory at Leigh Sports Village kept alive their hopes of topping Group C while the Cook Islands’ second consecutive defeat means the USA Tomahawks are guaranteed to finish top of Group D.
That almost certainly means a quarter-final for the Americans with the tournament favourites, Australia, in Wrexham on 16 November.
The result was cruel on the Cook Islands winger Chris Taripo, who scored all his side’s points and delighted the stadium-record crowd of 8,544 with a superb hat-trick of tries that earned him the man-of-the-match award.
The Cook Islands conceded the game’s first try to Sika Manu after six minutes but the excellent Taripo went over for two tries in seven minutes and also kicked a goal to put his side 10-6 up.
The Newtown Jets player twice demonstrated clinical finishing after kicks from Isaac John and Drury Low prised open the Tongan defence.
The underdogs were good value for their lead but they were powerless to stop the rampaging forward Jason Taumololo who crashed over for a 31st-minute try to restore Tonga’s lead, and the centre Konrad Hurrell, who bashed his way over for a third try just before half-time.
The Sydney Roosters stand-off, Samsoni Langi, kicked three goals as the Tongans led 18-10 at the break but the game was back in the balance within three minutes of the restart when Taripo produced a brilliant flying finish in the corner to take Low’s pass and complete his hat-trick.
The winger added the touchline conversion for good measure to cut the gap to two points but Tonga opened up a six-point lead when the left-wing, Jorge Taufua, squeezed over in the corner on the hour.
The Cook Islands never gave up hope, however, and Tonga were forced into some desperate defence in an enthralling final quarter.
Article source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/rugby-league-crookes-handed-wembley-audition-150828002.html
Rugby League World Cup 2013: Cook Islands out after defeat by Tonga
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