State of Origin 2023: Queensland fight back for fine 26-18 win over New South Wales in game one
- Published
Queensland go into game two with the chance to retain their State of Origin title when they face New South Wales at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on 21 June
2023 State of Origin |
|---|
Queensland (10) 26 |
Tries: Tabuai-Fidow 2, Cobbo 2, Munster Goals: Holmes 3 |
New South Wales (6) 18 |
Tries: Martin, Koroisau, Crichton Goals: Cleary 3 |
Defending champions Queensland began their State of Origin defence with a fine late win over New South Wales.
The Maroons fought back to win despite being down to 12 in the final stages after Thomas Flegler was sin-binned.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Selwyn Cobbo scored twice for the Maroons, with Liam Martin and Apisai Koroisau responding.
Stephen Crichton's try tipped the game in the Blues' favour but Tabuai-Fidow and Cameron Munster's late scores won it despite Flegler's absence.
Queensland will now have the chance to retain their crown as they take a one-game lead into game two of the best-of-three-game series at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on 21 June.
The Maroons raced out of the blocks and were rewarded for their early pressure as Ben Hunt's superb kick teed up Tabuai-Fidow to touch down and they wasted no time in adding to their lead as Cobbo ran in at the corner soon after.
New South Wales were without full-back Latrell Mitchell for game one as he picked up a calf injury prior to the trip to South Australia, but the Blues struck back before the break as Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai combined to send Martin through.
They then edged into a two-point lead early in the second half after Koroisau deflected an attempted pass 15 metres from the Queensland tryline, picked up the loose ball, and scrambled through to touch down.
A topsy-turvy game continued, with Cobbo putting Queensland back into the lead when he worked on to Reece Walsh's delivery to skip past Luai and Brian To'o to cross over.
There was further drama to come in a magnificently even game, with Crichton latching on to Cleary's kick to dive over and restore the Blues' lead again.
The Maroons' task was made harder soon after as Flegler was sent to the bin for an alleged shoulder charge on Tom Trbojevic.
Despite their disadvantage, Queensland rallied, with Tabuai-Fidow touching down with a cool solo run-in for his second of the night and Munster crashing over after an incredible Lindsay Collins catch and offload from a long kick upfield to cap off a memorable fixture.
New South Wales will have to win in Brisbane in June as well as on home soil in Sydney on 12 July if they are to avoid a State of Origin series defeat for a second season in a row.
Queensland: Walsh; Cobbo, Holmes, Tabuai-Fidow, Taulagi; Munster, Cherry-Evans; Faasuamaleaui, Hunt, Cotter, Fifita, Gilbert, Carrigan.
Interchanges: Flegler, Collins, Grant, Arrow.
New South Wales: Tedesco; To'o, Crichton, Trbojevic, Addo-Carr; Luai, Cleary; Pangai Junior, Koroisau, Haas, Frizell, Young, Yeo.
Interchanges: Paulo, Murray, Martin, Hynes.
Referee: Ashley Klein.
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