| ROUND 8 FIXTURES: (All times shown are Sydney time) Wednesday 25th April St George v Sydney Roosters (3:00pm, Allianz Stadium) Melbourne v NZ Warriors (7:00pm, AAMI Park) Friday 27th April Canterbury v Manly (7:30pm, ANZ Stadium) Brisbane v Gold Coast (7:30pm, Suncorp Stadium) Saturday 28th April South Sydney v North Queensland (7:30pm, ANZ Stadium) Sunday 29th April Canberra v Cronulla (2:00pm, Canberra Stadium) Parramatta v Wests Tigers (3:00pm, Parramatta Stadium) Monday 30th April Newcastle v Penrith (7:00pm, Hunter Stadium) |
The annual City-Country Origin clash this year was played in Mudgee; but it was the City boys who would take out
the title. But they were forced to hang on against a stirring comeback from the Country team before finally taking
out a 24-22 win.
The game started in controversy, with BJ Leilua placed on report for a chicken wing tackle in the first few minutes.
It was part of a tough and physical opening to the clash, with several hard hits during the early exchanges.
After 14 minutes, it was City who were first on the scoreboard, with Steve Turner receiving the ball out wide after
a City penalty and running to the corner for the opening try. And four minutes later, Turner was in again, chasing a
grubber from Mitchell Pearce. And with Turner converting both his tries, City had opened up a 12-0 lead.
At the half hour mark, Chris Lawrence burst through a gaping hole in the Country line to add another. And BJ
Leilua made up for his earlier indiscretion, making a break before off-loading to Lachlan Coote for another try,
opening up a 24-0 advantage.
The first half had been a triumph for City, but Country got a try back with the last play of the first half, with Blake
Ferguson intercepting a pass by Jarryd Hayne and running the length of the field to score under the posts.
Five minutes into the second half, Country was in again. It was a Canberra-inspired move, with Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
getting through the City line before Josh McCrone got within the City 10 metre line to set up Ferguson for his
double. Todd Carney was unable to convert, and it was 24-10 to City.
the title. But they were forced to hang on against a stirring comeback from the Country team before finally taking
out a 24-22 win.
The game started in controversy, with BJ Leilua placed on report for a chicken wing tackle in the first few minutes.
It was part of a tough and physical opening to the clash, with several hard hits during the early exchanges.
After 14 minutes, it was City who were first on the scoreboard, with Steve Turner receiving the ball out wide after
a City penalty and running to the corner for the opening try. And four minutes later, Turner was in again, chasing a
grubber from Mitchell Pearce. And with Turner converting both his tries, City had opened up a 12-0 lead.
At the half hour mark, Chris Lawrence burst through a gaping hole in the Country line to add another. And BJ
Leilua made up for his earlier indiscretion, making a break before off-loading to Lachlan Coote for another try,
opening up a 24-0 advantage.
The first half had been a triumph for City, but Country got a try back with the last play of the first half, with Blake
Ferguson intercepting a pass by Jarryd Hayne and running the length of the field to score under the posts.
Five minutes into the second half, Country was in again. It was a Canberra-inspired move, with Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
getting through the City line before Josh McCrone got within the City 10 metre line to set up Ferguson for his
double. Todd Carney was unable to convert, and it was 24-10 to City.
A stand-alone rep weekend was scheduled for the Anzac Test and the City-Country game, eliminating the need for
players to back up for club duties on the same weekend as had happened in previous seasons.
The Test match was played at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday night, and saw Australia do enough to claim a 20-12
win over New Zealand.
The Kiwis went on the attack early, but the Aussies were let off the hook when Manu Vatuvei knocked on 15 metres
out from the Australian line. At the other end, Cooper Cronk went for a chip kick, which Akuila Uate went perilously
close to catching but just didn’t make it to the marking contest in time.
The Kiwis went forward again, and on the last tackle, Johnathan Thurston attempted an intercept but knocked-on;
six again for the Kiwis. And in the ensuing set, Sam McKendry was pulled down centimetres short of the line. And
Isaac Luke from dummy half surged forward and found the line, and New Zealand had scored the opening try of the
game. Benji Marshall added the extras, and the Kiwis were 6-0 ahead.
But it didn’t take long for the Aussies to fight back. And again it was on the back of a tackle just short of the line.
Ben Hannant was pulled down, but after playing the ball to Cameron Smith, the ball was thrown out wide where
Johnathan Thurston charged through a gap to score.
And shortly before the half-hour mark, the Aussies were in again. Thurston threw the ball out wide to find Darius
Boyd, who made a break before off-loading to Greg Inglis who dived over to score in the corner. Johnathan Thurston
landed a sensational conversion, and the Aussies were 12-6 ahead.
Nathan Fien went close to a quick reply for the New Zealand side, but some interference behind play saw the video
referee disallow the try. But the Kiwis had the edge a few moments later as Billy Slater was given 10 in the bin, and
the Kiwis a numerical advantage as half time approached.
But the Kiwis failed to make anything of their advantage, and the Aussies held them out for the remainder of the
half. And with a penalty goal in the last minute of the half, Australia took a 14-6 lead into the rooms at the break.
But the Kiwis were back in the contest seven minutes into the second half. 20 metres out from the New Zealand
line, Cooper Cronk fired off a pass that was intercepted by Shaun Johnson, with Johnson running 80 metres; out-
pacing the Australian chasers as he streaked to the line to score. With Marshall’s conversion, the margin was back to
two points.
Australia had a try disallowed, with the video referee showing Uate had knocked on before grounding the ball. At the
other end, Jason Nightingale made a 50 metre break before being pulled down ten metres short of the Aussie line.
But with ten minutes to go, the Aussies wrapped up the game. Cameron Smith received the play-the-ball ten metres
short of the line, fired the pass off to Thurston before getting it back, and then racing forward to score under the
posts. Thurston’s conversion gave the Kangaroos an eight-point lead, and the game was safe.
The Kiwis were under pressure, with the Australians forcing a series of drop-outs in the final few minutes. But New
Zealand hung on, not allowing the scoreboard to blow out any further. And when the final siren sounded, the game
was concluded with a 20-12 win to the Australians.
Australia 20 def New Zealand 12
Australia : Tries – G Inglis, J Thurston, C Smith. Goals – J Thurston 4/4.
New Zealand : Tries – I Luke, S Johnson. Goals – B Marshall 2/2.
Referee – R Silverwood. Crowd – 35,399 at Eden Park, Auckland NZL.
players to back up for club duties on the same weekend as had happened in previous seasons.
The Test match was played at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday night, and saw Australia do enough to claim a 20-12
win over New Zealand.
The Kiwis went on the attack early, but the Aussies were let off the hook when Manu Vatuvei knocked on 15 metres
out from the Australian line. At the other end, Cooper Cronk went for a chip kick, which Akuila Uate went perilously
close to catching but just didn’t make it to the marking contest in time.
The Kiwis went forward again, and on the last tackle, Johnathan Thurston attempted an intercept but knocked-on;
six again for the Kiwis. And in the ensuing set, Sam McKendry was pulled down centimetres short of the line. And
Isaac Luke from dummy half surged forward and found the line, and New Zealand had scored the opening try of the
game. Benji Marshall added the extras, and the Kiwis were 6-0 ahead.
But it didn’t take long for the Aussies to fight back. And again it was on the back of a tackle just short of the line.
Ben Hannant was pulled down, but after playing the ball to Cameron Smith, the ball was thrown out wide where
Johnathan Thurston charged through a gap to score.
And shortly before the half-hour mark, the Aussies were in again. Thurston threw the ball out wide to find Darius
Boyd, who made a break before off-loading to Greg Inglis who dived over to score in the corner. Johnathan Thurston
landed a sensational conversion, and the Aussies were 12-6 ahead.
Nathan Fien went close to a quick reply for the New Zealand side, but some interference behind play saw the video
referee disallow the try. But the Kiwis had the edge a few moments later as Billy Slater was given 10 in the bin, and
the Kiwis a numerical advantage as half time approached.
But the Kiwis failed to make anything of their advantage, and the Aussies held them out for the remainder of the
half. And with a penalty goal in the last minute of the half, Australia took a 14-6 lead into the rooms at the break.
But the Kiwis were back in the contest seven minutes into the second half. 20 metres out from the New Zealand
line, Cooper Cronk fired off a pass that was intercepted by Shaun Johnson, with Johnson running 80 metres; out-
pacing the Australian chasers as he streaked to the line to score. With Marshall’s conversion, the margin was back to
two points.
Australia had a try disallowed, with the video referee showing Uate had knocked on before grounding the ball. At the
other end, Jason Nightingale made a 50 metre break before being pulled down ten metres short of the Aussie line.
But with ten minutes to go, the Aussies wrapped up the game. Cameron Smith received the play-the-ball ten metres
short of the line, fired the pass off to Thurston before getting it back, and then racing forward to score under the
posts. Thurston’s conversion gave the Kangaroos an eight-point lead, and the game was safe.
The Kiwis were under pressure, with the Australians forcing a series of drop-outs in the final few minutes. But New
Zealand hung on, not allowing the scoreboard to blow out any further. And when the final siren sounded, the game
was concluded with a 20-12 win to the Australians.
Australia 20 def New Zealand 12
Australia : Tries – G Inglis, J Thurston, C Smith. Goals – J Thurston 4/4.
New Zealand : Tries – I Luke, S Johnson. Goals – B Marshall 2/2.
Referee – R Silverwood. Crowd – 35,399 at Eden Park, Auckland NZL.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
County were storming home, and five minutes later Todd Carney found a huge gap in the City line and raced through to set up Tariq Sims. And
just after the hour, Ryan Hinchcliffe set up Sims to bring up a double. With Carney converting both of Sims’ tries, the margin was back to two
points.
Country found themselves within striking distance, and continued to attack. But City hung on for dear life, and made it to the finish line for a
hard-fought win.
City Origin 24 def Country Origin 22
City : Tries – S Turner 2, L Coote, S Lawrence. Goals – S Turner 4/4.
Country : Tries – B Ferguson 2, T Sims 2. Goals – T Carney 3/4.
Referees – G Sutton, B Suttor. Crowd – 8,621 at Glen Willow Regional Stadium, Mudgee.
just after the hour, Ryan Hinchcliffe set up Sims to bring up a double. With Carney converting both of Sims’ tries, the margin was back to two
points.
Country found themselves within striking distance, and continued to attack. But City hung on for dear life, and made it to the finish line for a
hard-fought win.
City Origin 24 def Country Origin 22
City : Tries – S Turner 2, L Coote, S Lawrence. Goals – S Turner 4/4.
Country : Tries – B Ferguson 2, T Sims 2. Goals – T Carney 3/4.
Referees – G Sutton, B Suttor. Crowd – 8,621 at Glen Willow Regional Stadium, Mudgee.