Stadium Australia, Sat Mar 1 8:00pm
WIN 24-20
In his first game in a South Sydney starting line-up since 1999 Craig Wing scored the match winning try for the Rabbitohs to tonight re-claim the Charity Shield from the St George Illawarra Dragons 24-20. Wing forced his way out of a Brett Morris tackle and over the tryline in the 75th minute of a tight and entertaining affair. Issac Luke added the conversion to give the Rabbitohs a 24-20 lead as they held on for the final five minutes. It was another confidence building performance from South Sydney on the back of their 44-0 defeat of the Sharks last weekend. The Rabbitohs opened the scoring in first half in the 14th minute through centre Yileen Gordon. After a sustained period of attack on the Dragons line Ben Rogers put in a cross-field kick that winger Germaine Paulson batted down in the south-east corner of ANZ Stadium for Gordon to pounce. Hooker Issac Luke added the conversion for the 6-0 lead. In a high quality game of football for this time of the year the Rabbitohs then added to their lead in the 23rd minute when Paulson crossed. Thanks to quick hands the Rabbitohs created an overlap on their left hand side and Paulson crossed untouched. Luke missed the conversion but landed a penalty goal three minutes later after the Dragons were penalised for holding down in the play the ball 20m out from their own posts for a 12-0 Rabbitohs lead. In the 28th minute Dragons prop Ricky Thorby was placed on report by referee Tony Archer for a lifting tackle on Gordon. The Dragons scored their first try three minutes before halftime when halfback Jamie Soward chased through a Rangi Chase kick. Archer referred the decision to video referee Steve Clark who ruled that Soward grounded the ball before Rabbitohs centre Nigel Vagana. Soward converted his own try for the 12-6 half-time scoreline. Gordon was among the Rabbitohs best in the first half, outpointing his opposite Dragons centre Mark Gasnier, scoring one try and saving one on the left hand flank. While Michael Greenfield was strong up front for the Rabbitohs and David Kidwell began to be a handful for the Dragons on the fringes late in the half. Shortly after half-time Gasnier scored his first try of the night in the 46th minute. In a passage of free flowing rugby league the Dragons first threw the ball to their left hands side and almost scored in the corner but were denied by some desperate Rabbitohs defence, but on the next tackle they spread it to the right hand side and Gasier forced his way over despite the attention of three Souths defenders. Soward missed the conversion and the score stood at 12-10. With the second half penalties beginning to mount against Souths and the red and green spending a lot of time in their own half, Gasnier claimed his second try of the night in the 57th minute when he latched onto a Rangi Chase kick. And the Dragons hit the front for the first time in the night 14-12. But the Rabbitohs were not behind for long and it was their young guns who put on a great team try. In a entertaining piece of attacking play Greenfield offloaded in traffic to Luke who passed on to Eddie Paea who found himself in open space before passing to Fetuli Talanoa who scored under the posts. Luke again converted and the Rabbitohs lead 18-14 with 18 minutes left on the clock. Just two minutes later the Dragons even the scores up at 18-all when in a 60m movement winger Michael Lett darted out of dummy half and passed on to Soward who raced 30m to outpace Rabbitohs halfback Craig Wing and score. Soward landed the near sideline conversion and the Dragons led 20-18 after 66 minutes. Wing then forced his way out of a Brett Morris tackle and over the tryline with five minutes to go and Luke converted for the Rabbitohs to lead 24-20
18 min 6-0 24 min 10-0 29 min 12-0 37 min 12-6 47 min 12-10 57 min 12-14 62 min 18-14 66 min 18-20 75 min 24-20 Gordon, Paulson, Talanoa, Wing tries Luke 4 from 5 goals Crowd 25,127 Penalties 8-7 Completion Rate 30/38 79% Other FG Trials 26-24 Cess Newcastle b Cronulla 32-12 Town Nth Qld b Canberra 32-4 Robi Gold Coast b Wests Tigers 34-18 Gosf Parramatta b Sydney 36-18 StAu Bulldogs b Penrith 11-4 Leed Leeds b Melbourne (WCC) 24-22 Redc Brisbane b Redcliffe
NYC U20 - Trial
v St George-Illawarra, 6:00pm
LOSS 30-34
Three tries in six minutes midway through the second half helped the Dragons to a 34-28 win over the Rabbitohs in the Charity Shield National Youth Competition trial tonight. The Rabbitohs scored the opening try through halfback Chris Sandow in just the seventh minute. Sandow converted his own try for an early 6-0 lead. The Dragons then struck back through a converted try to prop Trent Merrin to even the scores up at 6-all. In an entertaining free flowing game largely free of errors winger Jamie Ingram then put Souths ahead 10-6 in the 24th minute after a scything 50m run. Sandow again converted for the Rabbitohs to enjoy a six point lead. On the stroke of halftime Sandow then scored his second try of the contest in a brilliant individual run in which he broke the Dragons line, beat off the cover defence then stepped the fullback in a 40m effort. Sandow then landed his third conversion of the night to give Souths an 18-6 half-time lead. Souths enjoyed the 12 point buffer until the 52nd minute when Dragons halfback Josh Kennedy scored the first of his two tries. The Dragons made it three tries in six minutes when Lachlan Gowland (55th minute) and Rhys Cochrane (58) crossed shortly after. Dragons lock Matt Mundine converted all three tries and after 59 minutes the Dragons led 24-18. A sensational solo effort from Souths five-eighth Luke Capewell then brought the score back to 24-22. The former Australian Schoolboy beat two men on the outside from a scrum on the 40m line and beat the cover defence to score next to the posts. Sandow again converted for a scoreline of 24-all with 15 minutes left. With nine minutes left backrower Jake Marketo crossed for the Dragons and a second try to Josh Kennedy put the result beyond doubt in the 73rd minute. Rabbitohs bench player Michael Cummins scored a late consolation try to leave the score at 34-30 to the Dragons.
12 min 6-0 16 min 6-6 23 min 12-6 39 min 18-6 53 min 18-12 55 min 18-18 57 min 18-24 64 min 24-24 71 min 24-28 73 min 24-34 79 min 30-34 Sandow 2, Ingram, Capewell. Cummins tries Sandow 5 from 5 goals
Reserve Grade - NSWRL NSW Cup Trial
v Western Suburbs, Leichhardt Oval, Sat Mar 1 7:00pm
LOSS 18-28
Late changes Grant was out. Sayegh started at prop. Dropped Rabbitohs star Shannon Hegarty injured his hamstring playing for North Sydney last night. The former international was demoted from last night's Charity Shield match against the Dragons by his team-mates for having a blood alcohol level of 0.01 at training last week. And what was an embarrassing enough incident already could now prove a lot worse for the pacy outside back. Hegarty limped off the field after just three touches for Norths against the Western Suburbs Magpies. He was clutching at his hamstring and officials later confirmed a tear, but the extent of the damage won't be clear until he visits a specialist today. Hegarty watched the rest of the match, which Wests won 28-18, from the sideline. Bears legend and manager Greg Florimo confirmed Hegarty could not take the field again after the incident. "Shannon wasn't able to go back on after that. He injured his hamstring and he will be seeing doctors tomorrow," Florimo said. Norths trainers confirmed there is a tear to the Souths star's hamstring but were unable to elaborate on the extent of the injury and at this stage he may be in doubt for the remainder of the pre-season. "There is definitely a minor tear but we can't tell if there is any serious damage," a spokesman said. Hegarty proved he was just as elusive off the field last night as he is on it, evading the media and leaving the ground immediately following the match. He was dropped from the first grade squad by the Rabbitohs' core leadership group of Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell, John Sutton and Dean Widders.
Tamanika, Baird, Corrigan, Retimana tries
Russell 1 from 4 goals
Final Line Up
T G/A FG
Flbk - Wara, Samu - - -
Wing - Tamanika, John 1 - -
Cntr - Corrigan, Shaune 1 - -
Cntr - Nichols, Greg - - -
Wing - Hegarty, Shannon - - -
5/8 - Herekotukutuku, Charlie - - -
Half - Smith, Jeremy - - -
Prop - Sayegh, Daniel - - -
Hook - Falloon, Beau - - -
Prop - Verlinden, Ryan - - -
SRow - Nasio, Valu - - -
SRow - Wynyard, Dave - - - (c)
Lock - Dalton, Sean - - -
Int - Field, Martin - - -
Int - Retimana, Richard 1 - -
Int - Russell, Marc - 1/4 -
Int - Mano, Arnold - - -
Int - Koborsi, John - - -
Int - Hunt, Matt - - -
Int - Baird, Bladen 1 - -
Int - Johnston, Curtis - - -
4 1/4 -
NSWRL U18 SG Ball Cup - Round 3
v Cronulla, Henson Park, Sat Mar 1 11:30am
WIN 22-14
Segeyaro, Tulemau, Walsh, Peats tries tries
Reynolds 2, Kheirallah goals
Other U18 Matches
60-4 Woll Illawarra b St George
24-22 Wyon Sydney b Central Coast
64-12 Seif Canberra b WSyd Acad
32-8 Cabr Parramatta b Gold Coast
46-28 Newc Newcastle b Wests
40-6 Leic Balmain b Norths
50-34 Brok Canterbury b Manly
W D L B Diff PT
CANTERBURY 3 - - - +96 6
ILLAWARRA 2 - - 1 +84 6
PARRAMATTA 3 - - - +62 6
NEWCASTLE 2 - - 1 +46 6
PENRITH 2 - - 1 +20 6
SYDNEY 2 - - 1 +4 6
CANBERRA 2 - 1 - +56 4
SOUTHS 2 - 1 - +28 4
W Syd Academy 2 - 1 - -49 4
Cronulla - 2 1 - -8 2
Balmain 1 - 2 - -22 2
Manly - - 2 1 -44 2
Gold Coast - 1 2 - -26 1
Central Coast - 1 2 - -28 1
Wests - - 3 - -37 -
St George - - 3 - -100 -
Norths - - 3 - -82 -
NSWRL U16 Harold Mathews - Round 3
v Cronulla, 10:00am
WIN 28-18
J.Roberts 2, Akau-ola, J.Paea, Hang tries
J.Roberts 4 goals
Other U16 Matches
42-10 Woll Illawarra b St George
30-22 Seif WSyd Acad b Canberra
48-12 Cabr Parramatta b SWSyd Acad
48-26 Newc Newcastle b Wests
24-20 Leic Balmain b Norths
22-16 Brok Canterbury b Manly
36-14 Kanw Syd Roosters b Central Coast
W D L B Diff PT
PARRAMATTA 3 - - - +110 6
SYDNEY 2 - - 1 +62 6
PENRITH 2 - - 1 +44 6
ILLAWARRA 2 - - 1 +40 6
NEWCASTLE 2 - - 1 +36 6
CANTERBURY 1 2 - - +6 4
CRONULLA 2 - 1 - +46 4
W SYD ACADEMY 2 - 1 - -4 4
Canberra 1 - 2 - -4 2
Souths 1 - 2 - -12 2
Manly - - 2 1 -20 2
Wests 1 - 2 - -38 2
Balmain 1 - 2 - -40 2
Central Coast 1 - 2 - -54 2
Norths - 1 2 - -8 1
St George - 1 2 - -80 1
SWSyd Acad - - 3 - -98 -
NSWRL U18 SG Ball Cup - Round 4
v Manly, Brookvale Oval, Sat Mar 8 11:30am
WIN 38-22
tries
goals
Other U18 Matches
50-6 Tugn Gold Coast b St George
50-4 Blax Cronulla b W Syd Academy
74-14 Belm Bulldogs b Wests
54-18 Penr Penrith b Central Coast
34-12 Woll Illawarra b Parramatta
42-26 Koga Canberra b Syd Roosters
20-16 NISC Balmain b Newcastle
BYE Norths
W D L B Diff PT
CANTERBURY 3 - - - +96 6*
ILLAWARRA 2 - - 1 +84 6*
PARRAMATTA 3 - - - +62 6*
NEWCASTLE 2 - - 1 +46 6*
PENRITH 2 - - 1 +20 6*
SYDNEY 2 - - 1 +4 6*
CANBERRA 2 - 1 - +56 4*
SOUTHS 2 - 1 - +28 4*
W Syd Academy 2 - 1 - -49 4*
Cronulla - 2 1 - -8 2*
Balmain 1 - 2 - -22 2*
Manly - - 2 1 -44 2*
Gold Coast - 1 2 - -26 1*
Central Coast - 1 2 - -28 1*
Wests - - 3 - -37 -*
St George - - 3 - -100 -*
Norths - - 3 - -82 -*
NSWRL U16 Harold Mathews - Round 4
v Manly, 10:00am
WIN 32-18
tries
goals
Other U16 Matches
34-22 Kirk St George b SW Syd Academy
18-14 Blax W Syd Acad b Cronulla
24-10 Belm Bulldogs b Wests
22-16 Penr Penrith b Central Coast
18-16 Woll Parramatta b Illawarra
22-18 Koga Syd Rstrs b Canberra
36-14 NISC Newcastle b Balmain
BYE Norths
W D L B Diff PT
PARRAMATTA 3 - - - +110 6*
SYDNEY 2 - - 1 +62 6*
PENRITH 2 - - 1 +44 6*
ILLAWARRA 2 - - 1 +40 6*
NEWCASTLE 2 - - 1 +36 6*
CANTERBURY 1 2 - - +6 4*
CRONULLA 2 - 1 - +46 4*
W SYD ACADEMY 2 - 1 - -4 4*
Canberra 1 - 2 - -4 2*
Souths 1 - 2 - -12 2*
Manly - - 2 1 -20 2*
Wests 1 - 2 - -38 2*
Balmain 1 - 2 - -40 2*
Central Coast 1 - 2 - -54 2*
Norths - 1 2 - -8 1*
St George - 1 2 - -80 1*
SW Syd Academy - - 3 - -98 -*