The Cook Islands Rugby League Men’s team have been warmly welcomed to the Tees Valley, an area in the North of the United Kingdom which is hosting the Rugby League World Cup.

Although over 10,000 miles away and with considerably less sunshine, similar to the Cook Islands, the Tees Valley, as its tourism board boasts, offers spectacular countryside, a dramatic coastline and impressive historical venues.

On the 11th October the local community put on a wonderful civic reception for the team at Rocliffe Hall Hotel. The Cook Islands National Anthem was played by Yarm School orchestra and the players were presented with gifts from the local schools, where pupils aged 6-10 have written postcards to become penpals with similar aged children in Rarotonga. As a wonderful legacy from this event many of the children have expressed a keen interest in visiting the Cook Islands in the future.

Locals were delighted when a Cook Islands warrior in traditional dress performed a Turou followed by the players demonstrating their haka.

Over the past week, the team have very much enjoyed engaging with the community, including at a X-Sport challenge against Middlesbrough Football Club at Rockliffe Training Ground and a visit to Chandlers Ridge Academy Middlesbrough school visit where they gave a rugby master class to some of the pupils.

A number of additional events are planned for the coming weeks, including an event at the Captain Cook Birth Place Museum in Middlesbrough on 27th October, the date of birth of explorer Captain James Cook who first sighted the islands in 1773 and they were subsequently named after him.

The Cook Islands team will use Rockliffe Hall as their training camp for the duration of the Rugby League Wold Cup and in addition to the matches in Leigh  (vs Wales 19th October) and Warringtong (vs PNG on 25th October) the host city of Middlesbrough in the Tees Valley will be the venue for the Cook Islands vs Tonga match on Sunday 30th October.

Noeline Mateariki, Cook Islands Tourism Marketing Corporation’s Global Director of Sales and Marketing commented, “Cook Islands Tourism is proud to support our team’s campaign as it allows us to raise awareness of and showcase our destination on a world stage during the World Cup.”

Noeline’s recent European trade marketing mission allowed her to meet with many of key tourism agents throughout the UK. She revealed, “during these meeting Cook Islands flags were distributed and we look forward to seeing them being waved by our UK partners when they attend the matches and support our team.”