Rugby: PNG sojourn for Cook Islands

Waikite front-rower Jacob Marsters will travel to Papua New Guinea to try and make history for his home nation - the Cook Islands.

The Rarotonga-born rugby player has been selected into a 26-man squad travelling to PNG next month to play in the Oceania Cup.

The Oceania Cup is contested by the Cook Islands, PNG, Solomon Islands and Tahiti, with the winning nation progressing to a 2015 Rugby World Cup qualifier against Fiji.

"This was the second trial I had with the team, I made the 2009 team as well," Marsters said. "I'm really pleased with the result."

He said his cousin Joseph Marsters, who plays for Rotoiti, had also made the team.

Marsters said it was a dream of his to play at the Rugby World Cup.

"It's the Cook Island dream to make the world cup, like every nation we have our nation's hopes and dreams on our shoulders and to make it would be a dream come true."

He said their biggest match would be up against PNG, who beat them in 2009.

Marsters said he was not sure how much game time he would get but hoped he would start at least one game during the three-match Oceania Cup.

"I'm just glad to be in the team. With the amount of games I think I can make the starting lineup during one or two of the games."

The Cook Island team will spend three days in camp in Auckland before leaving for PNG on July 3 for 10 days.

The team coach, Barry George, is head coach of Manukau Rovers.

Most players in the Cook Island side play their club rugby in New Zealand.