Rugby League World Cup: Wales 12-18 Cook Islands - Steve Marsters seals Kukis' victory

Cook Islands powered back from a half-time deficit to edge Wales in their Rugby League World Cup opener in Leigh.

Wales led 12-8 at half-time after Rhodri Lloyd seized on Josh Ralph's grubber and Ollie Olds jinked over.

Those scores came either side of Anthony Gelling's try for Cook Islands, with Steve Marsters kicking four points.

Davvy Moale bulldozed his way through the Wales defence to level, before Marsters sealed it from a high kick.

The result means Wales remain winless at World Cups since the 2000 tournament, with daunting Group D encounters against Tonga and Papua New Guinea to come.

Cook Islands find themselves second in the pool and with their fate in their own hands as they seek to escape the group stage for the first time in their history.

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Rhodri Lloyd struck for Wales with the game's opening try

Wales part-time but fully committed

Wales' matchday squad contained just one full-time player, Salford Red Devils wing Rhys Williams - his nation's record-cap holder and try scorer playing in his third World Cup.

Cook Islands, in contrast, were sprinkled with players plying their trade in the NRL down under and in Super League, including Esan Marsters - freshly signed to Huddersfield Giants and lining up at half-back in Leigh.

Despite that statistic, the underlying truth is that there is plenty of experience in John Kear's Wales squad and they proved that by taking the lead.

Mike Butt had already been stopped just short of the line on the right wing but Wales kept up the pressure before Ralph stabbed through a grubber that Lloyd was sharpest to touch down, with Matt Fozard's following kick making it 6-0.

Fierce Welsh defence and a long look from the video referee ruled Tepai Moeroa had lost control of the ball as he tried to dot down, as Cook Islands looked to reply.

But the Kukis were soon level when Esan Marsters made a clean break to send Gelling under the posts, giving Steve Marsters a simple conversion.

Back came Wales, with Ralph and Olds pulling the strings at half-back and it was Olds who struck with a dummy that wrong-footed the Cook Islands defence before stepping back twice off his left foot to go over for the Dragons' second try.

Fozard again added the goal that gave Wales a 12-6 lead to defend as the first half ticked past.

Cook Islands continued to pressure through their big forwards, although Paul Ulberg just failed to get his fingertips to a wide if slightly wayward pass from Johnathon Ford - although in most else he did the half-back was faultless - on the left touchline with the try line beckoning.

The video referee was again called upon when Kukis hooker Rua Ngatikaura went over, but great defensive work from Wales interchange Ben Evans and full-back Caleb Aekins - playing on his Leigh Centurions home turf - ensured he was held up.

Steve Marsters added a late penalty kick to reduce the deficit but Wales led 12-8 at the break.

Cook Islands came out for the second half with fierce intent and some bullocking runs from their big forwards.

The white, green and gold wave washed up against Wales' try line with each set of five, but Kear's men held their ground at the last - although video referee Tom Grant was again called upon when a high kick went bobbling around Wales' in-goal area.

The signal from referee Robert Hicks was a soft no-try and that was backed up by the replays, and Wales survived again.

As the game wore on though, Cook Islands' size and strength began to tell on the previously solid Dragons defence and Kukis interchange Moale shoved his way through a gang of red shirts to the line for a try which Steve Marsters converted.

What proved the game's decisive moment followed as Steve Marsters managed to outjump Williams in the corner and just dab down before going into touch - although he was short with the difficult conversion attempt.

Wales had a let-off when Rua Ngatikaura crashed over but Cook Islands were called back for a penalty.

A brilliant charge-down and gather by Lloyd gave Wales a late sniff of a try to tie the scores, but a forced pass hit a Cook Islands defender and the final hooter sounded moments later.

Wales head coach John Kear:

"I think we've earned the respect of a lot of people and I think that's the best Wales rugby league performance for a long, long time and I'm immensely proud of the players and the effort they've put in.

"We're one of the lower-ranked teams within the group, we have got a lot of part-time players, but I think they've demonstrated that being part-time isn't simply about ability, sometimes it's about life circumstance.

"I certainly think that anybody that watched that will come away with full value for money and with a lot of admiration for the fellas who wore red... we'll now get ready for Tonga in five days' time, so good fun!"

Cook Islands head coach Tony Iro:

"Wales for the most part of the game stuck it to us and I thought they played really well.

"I was really proud of our boys for sticking to their guns too, because I thought there was the opportunity there a couple of times that they could have let things go against them but they kept turning up.

"I didn't think we'd had a lot going our way (in the first half), I thought effectively Wales had beaten us up at the play-the-ball... they came with a decent plan that upset us a bit."

Wales: Aekins, Butt, W Evans, Kear (capt), R Williams, Olds, Ralph, Walker, Fozard, Fleming, Lloyd, Antrobus, Burke.

Interchanges: Butler, B Evans, Curtis Davies, Connor Davies.

Cook Islands: Iro, S Marsters, Gelling, Rennie, Ulberg, E Marsters (capt), Ford, Petterson-Robati, Teroi, Moeroa, Peyroux, Porter, Tetevano.

Interchanges: Makatoa, Moale, Ngatikaura, Takairanga.

Att: 6188