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The dates for a two-match tour of the Americas for the Cook Islands in June of 2017 have now been confirmed. Mexico will host the South Pacific nation on June 17, with Brazil welcoming their opponents to São Paulo one week later on June 24.
This will mark the first time the Cook Islands will have traveled as a team outside the Pacific, and the first time they have played test matches against opponents from the Americas. They are currently ranked 46th on the official World Rugby rankings, narrowly ahead of Mexico who are in 48th spot. Brazil are a full 10 spots head at number 36, though they are only three points higher in ranking points.
Among the most notable Cook Islands players are former captain and prop Stan Wright, who enjoyed a long professional career in New Zealand, Ireland, and France before retiring at the end of last year’s Top 14 season. One-time international loose forward Steven Setephano is currently a regular in the Grenoble lineup, while uncapped Wallabies squad member Karmichael Hunt remains eligible via his mother who was born in the archipelago.
Current Chiefs coach Dave Rennie, who will move to Glasgow Warriors next season, played one match for the Cook Islands in a non-capped game in 1990. The country has also produced one player for the now-defunct Pacific Islanders invitational side, former Queensland Reds flanker Tu Tamarua.
