Rugby League World Cup: Cook Islands and Australia prepare for Townsville clash

The Rugby League World Cup continues with a high-stakes pool match between Australia and the Cook Islands in Townsville. Cook Islands fullback Valentine Holmes, who previously won two World Cups with Australia, expressed his desire to earn a contract extension with the St George Illawarra Dragons by performing well in the upcoming tournament.

Australia winger Tom Trbojevic is addressing defensive scrutiny following the Kangaroos' recent match against Fiji. Despite scoring a hat-trick, Trbojevic noted he was disappointed with his defensive positioning during certain plays. He stated his intention to improve ahead of the Cook Islands fixture, acknowledging the challenges of defending the right edge in international play.