USA 32 Cook Islands 20: Superb Paulo points way forward for triumphant USA

Tries inside the final 10 minutes from Mark Offerdahl and Craig Priestly settled a see-saw battle at the Memorial Stadium, with Bureta Faraimo, Matt Petersen, Joseph Paulo and Tui Samoa also crossing, while Paulo contributed eight points with the boot.

Brad Takairangi, Drury Low, Lulia Lulia and Dominique Peyroux scored tries for the Cook Islands, with Jordan Rapana kicking four points.

The USA’s tournament goal had been to “shock the world” after their pre-tournament win over France, and they will head into their weekend meeting with Wales buoyed by a fine performance, inspired by stand-off Paulo.

The evening had not started promisingly for the Tomahawks after Isaac John’s boot had twice caused problems with a high ball, with Takairangi dotting down on the second occasion and Rapana adding the extras.

However, the USA settled quickly and Priestly’s perfectly-executed 40-20 laid the platform for the half-back to put wing Faraimo over in the corner.

The conversion was off target but when the wind again played havoc with the high ball they had their second try, as Petersen went in after captain Paulo had gathered in the ball. He then extended their lead with a penalty.

However, their opponents found some fluency, and their second try, before the break.

Centre Keith Lulia made a forceful midfield break to set up a position from which full-back Low cut through to level matters.

Parity only lasted 55 seconds of the second half. Takairangi dallied over his kick on the last tackle and Paulo charged down before gathering and cantering over from 30 metres, although he could not add the testing touchline conversion.

The see-saw nature of the contest continued as Lulia Lulia crossed out wide and the sides were level again.

Wigan’s Anthony Gelling knocked on short of the line, and the failure to take the chance proved costly as the Americans once again hit the front, Samoa seizing on a loose pass from Paulo to skip past two tackles and score

Paulo added the conversion with the aid of the post, but the 
response was immediate as Peyroux acrobatically pounced on a dropping ball from John’s high ball to the right-hand side to dot down with Rapana holding his nerve from the tee to put the game back in the balance.

But Offerdahl struck with nine minutes remaining, bursting on to Paulo’s delayed pass.

Priestly then gathered a towering up and under from Paulo to ground the clinching try, and the latter then had the final word with a late penalty.

ends