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The Kangaroos produce their best try so far, a slick 70-metre effort seemingly out of nowhere. Cameron Munster drifts left and turns a pass inside for Jacob Preston, who cuts a whole through the Cook Islands defence for his second line break of the night. Preston charges upfield and looks inside where three Kangaroos support players are waiting, and sends a pass to Reece Walsh who runs clear to score.
Walsh converts and Australia are starting to close in on a point a minute.
Australia 28, Cook Islands 6 after 32 minutes
The Kangaroos are in again, and this has all the making of becoming a cricket score (don’t look at the actual cricket score right now, it’s not good news for the Aussies).
Jacob Preston makes a terrific, weaving run through the middle of the Cook Islands defence, and then with the underdogs on the back foot the Aussies throw the ball wide to the right, Kotoni Staggs taking a pass in plenty of space to score in the corner.
Reece Walsh swings his conversion attempt between the posts from the sideline.
Australia 22, Cook Islands 6 after 28 minutes
The Cook Islands made a bright start against New Zealand last week before going on to concede 82 points, and it looks like it could be a similar story tonight as Tino Fa’asuamaleaui crashes over for Australia’s third try following a Valentine Holmes error.
Australia 16, Cook Island 6 after 22 minutes
This Kangaroos side hasn’t hit top gear yet in this World Cup and have been decidedly clunky again tonight, giving away two errors and three penalties to gift the Cook Islands the bulk of attacking territory in the early stages of this game.
But the Roos do have a ton of talent and don’t need to control possession to score tries, and now Harry Grant goes to the line and links up with Tom Dearden, who breaks a tackle and draws the last defender before sending Tom Trbojevic over for a try in the right corner.
Reece Walsh lands this conversion and normal service has resumed for now.
Australia 10, Cook Islands 6 after 19 minutes
Some sloppiness from Australia – a Liam Martin error and a Harry Grant penalty – allows the Cook Islands to get into attacking territory, and hooker Rua Ngatikaura shapes to pass then goes himself from dummy half near the try line, brushing past attempted tackles from Martin and Pat Carrigan to barge his way over.
He scores beside the posts and Val Holmes makes no mistake adding the extras. Shockingly, the Cook Islands have the lead in this game early.
And then Reece Walsh adds insult to injury by sending his kick-off over the dead-ball line on the full, gifting the underdogs a penalty on halfway.
Cook Islands 6, Australia 4 after 11 minutes
Australia go to the air with a Tom Dearden bomb at the end of their first set and Cook Islands winger Cameron Brown spills the ball under pressure near his own line, and you can’t give that kind of opportunity to this Kangaroos team. After a couple of tackles the hosts go left, Reece Walsh looping a long cutout ball to Jack Bostock who scores untouched.
Walsh’s conversion attempt goes wide but that’s otherwise a perfect start for the Aussies.
Australia 4, Cook Islands 0 after four minutes
