Today New South Wales host Queensland at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney for the second game of a best of three state of origin series.
It was Queensland who won the first match 18-14, which means that if they were to defeat their opponents in today’s tie, they will claim the overall series title.
This fixture is deemed to be Australia’s greatest domestic sporting rivalry, so there is no doubt that today’s event is going to be an extremely competitive one. Emillia Hawkins takes you through all the action as it happens.
Team News:
NSW Squad: James Tedesco (c), Daniel Tupou, Clint Gutherson, Jack Wighton, Josh Addo-Carr, Cody Walker, Nathan Cleary, Daniel Saifiti, Damien Cook, Payne Haas, Angus Crichton, Tyson Frizell, Jake Trbojevic, Dale Finucane, Junior Paulo, Nathan Brown, Isaah Yeo.
Queensland Squad: Valentine Holmes, Xavier Coates, Kurt Capewell, Dane Gagai, Phillip Sami, Cameron Munster, Daly Cherry-Evans, Dunamis Lui, Jake Friend, Josh Papalii, Felise Kaufusi, Jaydn Su’A, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Ben Hunt, Lindsay Collins, Jai Arrow, Moeaki Fotuaika.
Embed from Getty ImagesKICK OFF: The Blues get us underway.
2’ Cameron Munster does very well to prevent a NSW try, but he appears to have picked up a head injury in the process and heads straight back down the tunnel for a Health Injury Assessment.
5’ The Queensland maroons come close to taking the lead as Papalii makes a strong drive for the line, but he is stopped in his tracks by Frizell.
7’ It’s the maroons who take the lead. As Gagai passes the ball to Coates who does a fantastic leap before touching down for the try. Holmes has the chance to extend their lead, but cannot make the conversion.
NSW 0-4 Queensland
14’ The blues equalise as Walker receives the ball and does well to spin past his man to drive forward and touch down for the try. Cleary then converts to put his team ahead.
NSW 6-4 Queensland
22’ Cleary manages to kick the ball behind the Queensland defence. Addo-Carr does very well to chase down Phillip Sami to force a goal-line dropout.
23’ The blues extend their lead as James Tedesco drives through a gap in the maroon’s defence before making the try. Cleary converts again, taking the Blues’ score up to 12.
NSW 12-4 Queensland
24’ Frizell has a nasty clash with Sami and is forced off of the field for an HIA. The news has recently come in that Munster has failed his HIA, meaning he will not be returning to play.
33’ Cleary wins the ball on the second tackle and kicks it forward towards the top right corner of the pitch. Addo-Carr chases it down and forces another goal-line dropout.
35’ Tedesco comes centimetres away from extending the Blues’ lead, but he is stopped in his tracks by a strong Queensland defensive line.
38’ NSW extend their lead even more as Tedesco passes the ball out to Addo-Carr on the right, who then skips past the opposition before touching down for a try. Cleary converts once again. The Blues are really dominating now.
Half Time: NSW 18-4 Queensland
New South Wales have really dominated this first half, giving Queensland very few chances. Cleary, Addo-Carr and Tedesco have all been outstanding for the Blues, all being key contributors. Queensland are really going to have to up their game if they want to get back in this.
KICK OFF:
43’ There is no stopping the blues today as Wighton drives forward and breaks through the maroon defensive line to touch down and score a try. Cleary makes the conversion once again, and NSW now lead by 20 points.
NSW 24-4 Queensland
53’ Excellent play from NSW leads to another try as Tedesco sends the ball to Daniel Tupou on the left, who touches down with ease. Cleary is unable to convert this time, but the Blues still have a huge lead.
NSW 28-4 Queensland
56’ Queensland have a penalty after Holmes is pushed in the back by Yeo. A huge fight has broken out on the field and has resulted in Haas and Fa’asuamaleaui being sent to the sin-bin.
59’ Queensland come inches away from scoring a try, but Collins is stopped in his tracks by four blues.
63’ Queensland narrow the gap as Cherry-Evans sends the ball to Papalii, who drives forward before touching down. Holmes converts with ease.
NSW 28-10 Queensland
65’ The Blues respond instantly as Addo-Carr capitalises on a mistake from the maroons before getting the try. Cleary fails to make the conversion again.
NSW 32-10 Queensland
71’ NSW are awarded a penalty after Walker is tackled without the ball, but nothing comes from it. The Blues are not at all slowing down here and are still dominating.
78’ The Blues have another penalty after Tedesco is tackled in mid-air. Cleary steps up to take it, and scores another two points for his team.
FULL TIME: NSW 34-10 Queensland
New South Wales claim their largest-ever victory over Queensland after an outstanding team performance that dominated the opposition throughout the entirety of the eighty minutes. Addo-Carr and Tedesco were both excellent for the blues, and neither looked tired at any point during the game. Now, attention turns to the third and final game in the State of Origin series, which will be the decider between the two sides.
