Updated: Rabbitohs 18 DEFEAT Warriors 16
04 Aug 2008
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have secured their second victory over the New Zealand Warriors for 2008 with an 18 points to 16 victory at ANZ Stadium in front of 9,276 Members and supporters.
Both sides scored three tries a piece with accurate goal kicking and a tremendous defensive display from the Rabbitohs the difference between the teams.
The Rabbitohs were never headed in the contest, always edging ahead in a close encounter.
The Rabbitohs opened the scoring in the sixth minute when fullback Nathan Merritt scored a sensationally crafty try. Rabbitohs lock John Sutton took the ball one wide from the scrum and kicked behind the Warriors’ defence. Merritt out-sprinted the opposition to snatch the ball and score a fantastic four-pointer. Issac Luke converted to give the Rabbitohs an early 6-nil lead.
The Warriors struck back in the 18th minute when Jerome Ropati scored an 80 metre try coming from a Rabbitohs mistake. Lance Hohaia converted to lock the scores up at six-a-piece.
Makeshift centre Ben Lowe was the next to cross the stripe just three minutes later, off the back of a beautifully worked backline movement from South Sydney. Lowe hit a gap to storm over on the left hand side, with Issac Luke’s conversion taking the lead back to six points.
Three minutes from half time, Hohaia crossed for the first of two tries after Manu Vatuvei made a break down the left hand side of the field. He converted his own try to level the scores at 12-all at the break.
The defence was heavy going on both team’s behalf in the first half, with the Warriors dropping a lot of ball.
A Chris Sandow 40/20 kick set up the next Rabbitohs’ try in the 56th minute, when Kiwi international David Kidwell scored his first try in 16 months. It was a grubber kick into the in-goal from Sandow for Kidwell that set up the try, and Sandow’s conversion restored the six-point advantage, 18-12.
In the 62nd minute, Hohaia scored his second and the Warriors came within two points of the home side.
The video referee scuttled another Nathan Merritt try in the 64th minute, ruling Craig Wing got a fingertip to the ball, knocking forward and negating the try.
The Rabbitohs defence in the final 15 minutes of the match was sensational, holding out many raids on their own line to secure their seventh victory for the season.
Rabbitohs Head Jason Taylor said: “It was an improved defensive not only on last week, but on our whole season.
“We practised hard all week on our line speed and maintaining a wall of defence and we put it into practice tonight. The players enjoyed playing that way too.
“It was a really tough game, pretty dour, but we wanted to make them work hard and we wanted to play aggressively.
“Roy Asotasi and Luke Stuart were out there for nearly 80 minutes tonight. It was a fantastic effort and really satisfying.
“David Kidwell’s attitude has been superb too and Ben Lowe played strongly in the centres. It great to have a group of players that we can rotate and that are all vying for spots.”
Rabbitohs captain Roy Asotasi said: “I’m glad he’s (Kidwell) fought his way back into first grade and getting a meat pie tonight, well he’s happy isn’t he.
“We worked on building pressure and completing our sets. It gives us confidence, holding them out the way we did at the end.
“It showed tonight that if you work really hard you will get the results.”
David Kidwell said: “I’m just happy to be getting off a nudie run at the end of the season!
“We worked hard all week and it’s good to see it pay off.
“It’s good to be back in the team and to get a win. You’ve got to take the opportunity when you can and hopefully I’ve done that.”
The Rabbitohs will now take on the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at Toyota Stadium next Saturday night at 7:30pm.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 18 (Nathan Merritt, Ben Lowe, David Kidwell tries; Issac Luke 2, Chris Sandow goals)
defeated
New Zealand Warriors 16 (Lance Hohaia 2, Jerome Ropati tries; Lance Hohaia 2 goals)
PLAY THE VIDEO ABOVE TO SEE EXCLUSIVE SSTV FOOTAGE OF THE POST MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE.
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In the Toyota Cup, the New Zealand Warriors defeated the South Sydney Rabbitohs 26 points to 20.
New Zealand Warriors 26 (Leeson Ah Mau, Russell Packer, Bill Tupou, Isaac John, Daniel O’Regan tries; Kevin Locke 3 goals)
defeated
South Sydney Rabbitohs 20 (Cameron Pitman 2, Eddy Pettybourne, Malcolm Webster tries; Eddie Paea 2 goals)