A Cook Islands selection side will play host to Waitakere at the Cook Islands Football Association headquarters in Matavera on August 20 as the the Auckland-based outfit looks to build up to the start of the next ASB Premiership – New Zealand’s national championship – and the 2011/12 O-League.
The game will be a classic case of David versus Goliath, with the amateur local players doing their utmost to match the ability and experience of Waitakere’s star-studded semi-professional line-up.
The majority of the Cook Islands side will be consist of stand-out performers from the local league but several players based overseas in New Zealand and Australia will also be included.
Waitakere coach Neil Emblen is yet to name his squad for the upcoming campaigns and it is unclear what players he will choose to bring to Rarotonga.
But, in comparison to the base from which the Cook Islands must pluck, Waitakere have a wealth of talent at their disposal and will be using the match as a training run as they look to defend their national title and earn the O-League crown for the first time since 2008.
The current Waitakere squad includes the likes of former English professional Martin Bullock, Fiji international Roy Krishna and ex-All White Allan Pearce. There are also four U-20 internationals among the ranks who are currently competiting at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia – Tim Payne, Dakota Lucas, Anthony Hobbs and Sean Lovemore.
The west Aucklanders have won the national league three times and the O-League twice.
The friendly clash in Rarotonga will be just as beneficial for the Cook Islands side as it will take place shortly before the commencement of the Pacific Games, set to be held from August 27 to September 9 in New Caledonia.
National team coach Maurice Tillotson named a training squad of 18 for the event last month and a large number of those players are likely to be involved in the Waitakere game.
For more on Cook Islands football go to www.cookislandsfootball.com