S3, R1: Naughty North vs. Sexy South (vBookie)

0.30

The next phase to be played from 7 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Penalty to the Souths to be taken by Matthew Scoble. From here, they're going to have a Kick for Touch. Great kick. That finds touch 10 metres upfield. The players run up to form the line out.

The next phase to be played from 17 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Line Out to Souths. That's a good throw.

Easy take there for the Souths. The ball secured easily by James Torres.
The next phase to be played from 23 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

A maul is formed by the Souths. They try to get a roll on. A good rumble here, led by James Torres secures the Souths a gain of 2 metres
The next phase to be played from 25 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Benny Read is tackled by Sam Verigotta for the Norths and a ruck forms. The ruck is contested and the Norths players pile in. I think he got a little isolated there, and they've turned the ball over here.

The next phase to be played from 24 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Ishan Narang is tackled by Benny Read for the Souths and a ruck forms. The ruck is contested but Ishan Narang has been penalised by the referee for not releasing the ball. That'll be a penalty to the Souths

The next phase to be played from 24 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Penalty to the Souths to be taken by Matthew Scoble. From here, they're going to have a Kick for Touch. Poor kick. He's failed to find touch there, and the Norths snap up the ball.

The next phase to be played from 40 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line...

 

...Blunder cleans the ball up and runs at the line. He gains 6 metres. Good Tackle by Jason Denton and a ruck forms.

The next phase to be played from 34 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Pilgrim grabs the ball and throws it short to Sam Verigotta who attempts to crash the line. However, he is tackled by solidly by Benny Read for the Souths and a ruck forms. The ruck is contested and the Souths players pile in. I think he got a little isolated there, and they've turned the ball over here.

The next phase to be played from 37 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

He's burst through the defensive line and he's on a run. Dave Eggman with the ball for the Souths. He scatters the Norths halves and bursts through the defense. Ah, he's not going to make it all the way, he's been tackled but he managed to gain 10 metres there.

The next phase to be played from 47 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Rob Cribb spins the ball wide, where Ben Herd is tackled by Ishan Narang for the Norths and a ruck forms. The ruck is contested but the Souths show good ball security and extracate the ball from the ruck.

The next phase to be played from 50 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Right on the Norths try line here, it takes some time to extract the ball from the ruck, but Cribb again goes wide rather than using the forwards. It pays off as Gareth Weaver darts into a gap and dots down under the posts!

TRY TO Souths
Conversion attempt for the Souths. Kick to be taken by Matthew Scoble. Great kick. He's nailed that one and they earn the extra 2 points.

Norths 0 - 7 Souths

 

9:00

Things get worse for the Norths as rookie Ishan Narang pulls up lame after coming up from a ruck. He's having to be subbed. On comes Ryan Gayler and the Norths front row will have to adapt to having two hookers.

 

15:00

A Grubber is put in by Matthew Scoble for the Souths. Interesting decision making there. The ball bobbles along the ground and is keenly contested. The Norths gather the ball, but a good tackle is put in and a ruck is formed.

The next phase to be played from 26 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Ed Ames is tackled by Ben Herd for the Souths and a ruck forms. The ruck is contested and the Souths players pile in. I think he got a little isolated there, and they've turned the ball over here.

The next phase to be played from 27 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Ben Herd opts to kick here for the Souths. He's trying to Kick for Touch. He's failed to find touch there, the ball remains in play and possession is conceded. The pressure of a counter-attack looks to be coming.

The next phase to be played from 35 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Ryan Gayler cleans up, but he's not done it well. That's been knocked on and we'll have a scrum here.

The next phase to be played from 35 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Scrum to Souths. Great work by the Souths. They've secured their own ball and win that scrum gaining 2 metres.

The next phase to be played from 37 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Jason Denton with the ball on the run here. He's already gained 5 metres. Great tackle by Bobby Blunder causes Jason Denton to lose the ball in the tackle. Knock on, but the referee plays advantage.

The next phase to be played from 42 metres on the Norths side of the halfway line.

Bobby Blunder opts to kick here for the Norths. He's trying to Kick for Touch. A decent kick for touch. He's gained 21 metres of territory for them there and we'll have a line out. Danger averted.

 

20:30

Regan Hutchinson with a surging run down the left flank. He's pulled up just 5m short of the line, but unfurls an excellent offload to Ben Herd who excellently finishes in the corner

TRY TO SOUTHS!

Tough conversion opportunity for Scoble, but he nails it!

Norths 0 - 14 Souths.

 

25:00

Line Out to Souths. That's a good throw.
Great work by the Norths. They've contested that Line Out superbly, and Michael Chung steals the ball for them after an awful throw from Delonge overshoots his intended target.

The next phase to be played from 18 metres on the Souths side of the halfway line.

Sam Verigotta with the ball on the run here. He's already gained 1 metres. It looks like he's going to be tackled by Andrew James but he manages to offload to Al Farnsworth in time.

The next phase to be played from 19 metres on the Souths side of the halfway line.

Al Farnsworth to Pilgrim.

The next phase to be played from 20 metres on the Souths side of the halfway line.

Luke Pilgrim with the ball on the run here. He's already gained 5 metres. It looks like he's going to be tackled by Damien Taylor but he manages to offload to Callum Laing in time.

The next phase to be played from 25 metres on the Souths side of the halfway line.

Callum Laing with the ball on the run here. He's already gained 8 metres. It looks like he's going to be tackled by Rob Cribb but he manages to offload to Paddy Orr in time.

The next phase to be played from 33 metres on the Souths side of the halfway line.

Paddy Orr quickly passes to Graham who's in space.

The next phase to be played from 34 metres on the Souths side of the halfway line.

Sam Graham with the ball on the run here. He's already gained 9 metres. It looks like he's going to be tackled by Matthew Scoble but he manages to offload to Bobby Blunder in time.

The next phase to be played from 43 metres on the Souths side of the halfway line.

Bobby Blunder with the ball back inside to Callum Laing

The next phase to be played from 45 metres on the Souths side of the halfway line.

Callum Laing drives over the line, and Norths are back in this!

TRY TO Norths
Conversion attempt for the Norths. Kick to be taken by Ed Ames. Great kick. He's nailed that one and they earn the extra 2 points.

Norths 7 - 14 Souths