Australia vs Cook Islands: Rugby League World Cup 2026 Score

Australia vs Cook Islands, the last Pool A game of the men's Rugby League World Cup 2026, ended in a 66-6 win for the Kangaroos at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville on Saturday, October 31. The match kicked off at 8:05pm AEDT (09:05 GMT), the Cook Islands briefly led 6-4, and full time came at about 9:56pm AEDT, according to ABC News' live coverage. Australia finish top of Pool A and play their semi-final on Sunday, November 8, at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

The tournament runs from October 15 to November 15, 2026, mainly in Australia, with games also staged in Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. This guide covers the score, every men's result so far, the pool tables, the semi-final and final kick-off times in AEDT, GMT, NZDT and PGT, and how to watch. Facts are as of about 10pm AEDT on October 31, 2026.

Australia vs Cook Islands: score and key moments

The Cook Islands, coached by Karmichael Hunt, made a bright start. ABC reported that winger Jack Bostock scored first for Australia from a long Reece Walsh pass, before hooker Rua Ngatikaura dummied his way over and Valentine Holmes converted to put the Aitu 6-4 up after 11 minutes.

Australia then pulled clear. Tries to Tom Trbojevic, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Kotoni Staggs and Walsh made it 28-6 at half-time, posted at 8:52pm AEDT. ABC's blog was critical of the first half, noting the Kangaroos completed only about 70 per cent of their sets. After the break, Bostock and Trbojevic both completed hat-tricks, Jacob Preston and Fa'asuamaleaui added tries, and Cameron Munster took over the goal-kicking. The bunker ruled out an Isaah Yeo try in the 45th minute. Hooker Harry Grant scored the last try, and debutant Ethan Strange converted it.

Coach Kevin Walters picked Munster at five-eighth alongside Tom Dearden, with Walsh back at fullback and Canberra's Ethan Strange on the bench, the NRL's team announcement said. Strange duly made his Kangaroos debut. Walters said the side was "looking to build on that with an 80-minute performance on Saturday night". ABC reported that Cameron Murray was a late withdrawal. The official RLWC2026 match page lists Ashley Klein as referee.

The Cook Islands were already out. They had lost 40-12 to Fiji and 82-16 to New Zealand, per Sky Sports' results list.

Rugby League World Cup 2026 results so far

Men's results, with dates as listed by Sky Sports:

• Oct 15: Australia 24-22 New Zealand (Sydney)
• Oct 16: Samoa 78-4 France
• Oct 17: Papua New Guinea 42-18 Lebanon; England 12-30 Tonga
• Oct 18: Fiji 40-12 Cook Islands
• Oct 23: Tonga 36-0 Lebanon
• Oct 24: Papua New Guinea 6-64 Samoa; England 82-0 France
• Oct 25: New Zealand 82-16 Cook Islands; Australia 36-22 Fiji
• Oct 30: England 34-12 Papua New Guinea (WIN Stadium, Wollongong)
• Oct 31: New Zealand 78-0 Fiji (Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast); Australia 66-6 Cook Islands (Townsville)

The New Zealand win was a rout: 48-0 at half-time and 13 tries, all converted by Jamayne Isaako, RNZ reported. Kiwis winger Ronaldo Mulitalo and Fiji halfback Brandon Wakeham were both sent off, and ABC News said each is expected to be charged.

Pool A table

Worked out from the results above: Australia 3 wins from 3, New Zealand 2 wins and 1 loss, Fiji 1 win and 2 losses, Cook Islands 3 losses. Australia and New Zealand go through. The Kangaroos' only close game was the 24-22 opener against the Kiwis.

Pools B and C: what Tonga v Samoa decides

Pools B (England, Lebanon, Samoa) and C (France, Papua New Guinea, Tonga) form one combined table, and the top two reach the semi-finals. Before the final weekend, Samoa and Tonga had won both games, and England had two wins and a loss. Papua New Guinea are out after the England defeat, NRL.com says.

Everything hangs on Tonga v Samoa at a sold-out CommBank Stadium on Sunday, November 1, at 8:05pm AEDT (09:05 GMT, 10:05pm NZDT). The winner tops the table and meets New Zealand in Newcastle; the loser finishes second and plays Australia in Sydney. The one exception: if Tonga win by 47 points or more, England overtake Samoa on points difference and take second place. Tonga rank above England on head-to-head because they beat them 30-12 on October 17.

Sky Sports quoted England coach Brian McDermott after the PNG game: "It looks like we're going out of the tournament with that score there." A pool-stage exit would be England's first at a World Cup. Lebanon and France, both without a win, also meet on Sunday.

Women's and wheelchair World Cups

The women's semi-final line-up is settled. New Zealand beat Papua New Guinea 40-12 on the Gold Coast on Saturday to finish top of Pool B unbeaten, though they led only 14-12 at half-time, the NZ Herald reported. Fiji beat France 54-6 earlier in the day, RNZ reported, reaching the semi-finals at their first Women's World Cup. Samoa secured their place with a 24-6 win over England on October 30, which ended England's tournament.

The Jillaroos, already through, play Wales at CommBank Stadium on Sunday, November 1, at 3:40pm AEDT. The semi-finals are New Zealand v Samoa in Newcastle on November 7 and Australia v Fiji in Sydney on November 8.

The eight-team wheelchair World Cup is being played at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, with the final on November 13, per Sky Sports. England are the defending champions. Australia, ranked fourth and still chasing a first world title, according to ABC News, beat New Zealand 102-14 on October 31, with captain Bayley McKenna scoring four tries, Total Rugby League reported. On October 30, Ireland beat the USA 110-10 and England beat Wales 98-18. A physical disability rugby league competition also runs alongside the three main events.

Semi-final and final dates and kick-off times

Times below come from Sky Sports' UK schedule and Sky New Zealand's listings, which match each other. Brisbane does not use daylight saving, so local time there is an hour behind AEDT, the same as Papua New Guinea time (PGT).

• Men's semi-final 1: Saturday, November 7, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle. New Zealand v Pools B/C winner. 8:05pm AEDT, 09:05 GMT, 10:05pm NZDT, 7:05pm PGT.
• Men's semi-final 2: Sunday, November 8, Allianz Stadium, Sydney. Australia v Pools B/C runner-up. Same times.
• Women's semi-finals: New Zealand v Samoa (November 7, Newcastle) and Australia v Fiji (November 8, Sydney), both at 5:45pm AEDT, 06:45 GMT, 7:45pm NZDT, 4:45pm PGT.
• Women's final: Sunday, November 15, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane. 4:10pm AEDT (3:10pm local and PGT), 05:10 GMT, 6:10pm NZDT.
• Men's final: Sunday, November 15, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane. 7:35pm AEDT (6:35pm local and PGT), 08:35 GMT, 9:35pm NZDT.

How to watch the Rugby League World Cup 2026

• Australia: Seven and 7plus show all 53 matches across the men's, women's and wheelchair events live and free, Mediaweek reported.
• New Zealand: every match is live on Sky Sport and Sky Sport Now. Every Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns match, plus both finals, is also free on Three and/or ThreeNow, Sky said.
• Papua New Guinea: Digicel, according to the NRL's team announcement.
• UK, Ireland and Canada: Premier Sports (subscription), which has exclusive rights in those countries.
• US and elsewhere: Premier Sports Player streams every game in 129 countries, with a tournament pass at $25 USD, per Love Rugby League.

What to watch next

• Tonga v Samoa (November 1): it sets both remaining men's semi-final pairings and decides England's fate.
• Judiciary: Mulitalo's semi-final availability is in serious doubt after his send-off, ABC reported. Fiji are out, so Wakeham's tournament is over.
• Fitness: New Zealand hope fullback Kalyn Ponga (broken forearm) is fit for the knockouts, and ABC noted that Walsh took a knock to his lower leg late in the Townsville game, after earlier foot concerns for him and Trbojevic.

Elsewhere in Australian sport this week, the Melbourne Cup is run on Tuesday, November 3; see our Melbourne Cup 2026 guide.

Our take

The pool stage has produced plenty of lopsided scores, including 82-0, 78-0 and 78-4, which says a lot about the gap between the top sides and the rest. The knockouts look far tighter. Australia's two-point win over New Zealand on opening night is the best guide to how close the final could be, and the Tonga v Samoa game has the feel of a quarter-final before the semis begin.

Frequently asked questions

What was the score in Australia vs Cook Islands?

Australia beat the Cook Islands 66-6 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville, on Saturday, October 31, 2026, ABC News reported. The Cook Islands led 6-4 after 11 minutes, Australia led 28-6 at half-time, and full time came at about 9:56pm AEDT.

When are the Rugby League World Cup 2026 semi-finals?

The men's semi-finals are on Saturday, November 7, at McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, and Sunday, November 8, at Allianz Stadium, Sydney, both at 8:05pm AEDT (09:05 GMT). The women's semi-finals are earlier on the same days at 5:45pm AEDT.

Where and when is the Rugby League World Cup 2026 final?

Both finals are at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Sunday, November 15, 2026. The women's final starts at 4:10pm AEDT (05:10 GMT) and the men's final at 7:35pm AEDT (08:35 GMT), according to Sky Sports' schedule and Sky New Zealand's listings.

Can England still reach the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals?

Only just. After beating Papua New Guinea 34-12, England need Tonga to beat Samoa by 47 points or more on Sunday, November 1, to overtake Samoa on points difference, NRL.com says. Any other result knocks them out.

How can I watch the Rugby League World Cup 2026?

In Australia every match is live and free on Seven and 7plus. In New Zealand every match is on Sky Sport, with Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns games and both finals free on Three or ThreeNow. Premier Sports covers the UK, Ireland and Canada, and Premier Sports Player streams in 129 countries.

Sources

1. Rugby League World Cup live: Kangaroos close out group games against Cook Islands, ABC News
2. Two players sent off as New Zealand Kiwis thrash Fiji Bati in Rugby League World Cup, ABC News
3. Breakthrough moment beckons for Australia's Wheelaroos at home Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup, ABC News
4. High-stakes shootout: Every team's path to the RLWC semi-finals, NRL.com
5. Kangaroos named for Cook Islands clash, NRL.com
6. Australia v Cook Islands: Men's Round 3, Pool A, Rugby League World Cup 2026
7. Rugby League World Cup: England beat Papua New Guinea 34-12 but on brink of group-stage exit in Australia, Sky Sports
8. Rugby League World Cup 2026: Schedule, dates, format and results from men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments, Sky Sports
9. Ruthless Kiwis bury Fiji to reach Rugby League World Cup semis, RNZ
10. Fiji Bulikula into World Cup semis with win over France, RNZ
11. Kiwi Ferns v PNG: New Zealand top Rugby League World Cup group with big win over tough Orchids side, NZ Herald
12. In a League of Its Own - Sky Confirms Coverage Plans for Rugby League World Cup 2026, Sky (New Zealand)
13. Seven unveils star-studded Rugby League World Cup broadcast team, Mediaweek
14. How to watch 2026 Rugby League World Cup with Premier Sports coverage confirmed, Love Rugby League
15. Australia wheel away from debutants New Zealand, Total Rugby League

How we wrote this

GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 15 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 31, 2026, and we update the post when they change.