Valentine Holmes wants to play for the Cook Islands at the World Cup at the end of the year, a goal that was pushed back when a season-ending shoulder injury in 2025 ended his chance to make an international debut in a qualifier against South Africa.
The 30-year-old said the idea has been on his mind for two years, but injuries have kept getting in the way. He broke his leg at the end of 2024 and then hurt his shoulder last year, leaving him to watch his international plans stall before they started.
“Yeah, it is pretty exciting,” Holmes said. “It's definitely something that I've been thinking about (in) the last couple of years. But unfortunately, the two years I've been injured, at the end of 24, broke my leg, and then last year with my shoulder.”
Holmes said he is still hoping to pull on the Cook Islands jersey later this year. “So fingers crossed I get there at the end of the year,” he said. That ambition matters because his injuries have delayed what would be his first appearance for the Cook Islands in international rugby league, after he already joined the side in a coaching role while sidelined.
He said the push is personal as well as sporting. Holmes said he has spoken to his family, especially his mum and her family, about the move, adding: “It's something I've spoken to my family, my mum about, especially, and all her family.” He said his mother is one of 12 siblings, and the family wants to see him represent their heritage. “She's one of 12. So she has a lot of brothers and sisters that just want to see me in that jersey. So yeah, fingers crossed, I get there.”
The Cook Islands’ path will not be easy. Holmes said he has already seen the draw, with the team set to face Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. “I've seen the draw already, and I think we're in the draw with Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. So what better teams to play against?” he said. For a side of the Cook Islands’ size, that makes every available player matter, and Holmes’ name is already part of the conversation.
In March, Sharks centre KL Iro said he and Holmes would lead a recruitment drive to bring more NRL players into the Cook Islands set-up. Iro said Holmes has pledged his allegiance to the team and that the pair planned to keep pressing players to commit. “I've been always messaging boys that can come play, and they'll probably think I'm a bit of a pest, but I've been just contacting them and just saying, ‘actually, it's the year,' like, ‘hey, you guys want to come back',” Iro said.
Iro added that he had been trying to get players on board the previous year as well. “I was last year trying to get some boys over, and it's good we got Valentine Holmes, he's pledged his allegiance as well,” he said. “So hopefully he can bring a couple more boys. He lives in Cronulla, too, so we'll catch up and start recruiting and messaging boys and pestering them. So, yeah, I'm really excited, and hopefully we can get a strong team coming into some big games.”
The Cook Islands have a recent example to point to in rugby league’s international game. Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita helped shift the landscape when they pledged allegiance to Tonga ahead of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, and Holmes’ possible switch carries a similar weight for a smaller nation trying to build around elite talent. For now, though, his path still runs through fitness, selection and one more chance to finally get on the field.
