Cook Islands Rugby League say they're dumbfounded by the Kiwis' late withdrawal from next week's Test match in Rarotonga.
The match was due to take place on October 6th but New Zealand Rugby League chief executive Jim Doyle says with 29 frontline contenders unable to play it had no option but to cancel the match.
The President of Cook Islands Rugby League, Charles Carlson, says their national squad only assembed on Wednesday so for New Zealand to cancel the game without notice, at such a late stage, has left them in the lurch.
Carlson says it could prove to be a very expensive no-show for them as they had to fly a lot of players over from Australia for the match and pay for accommodation .
