Queensland's Darius Boyd's try in either half levelled State of Origin
Newcastle full-back Darius Boyd scored in each half as Queensland crushed New South Wales 26-6 in Origin II.
Last Updated: 26/06/13 3:56pm
The Blues came into the game at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium 1-0 up and chasing a first series win in eight barren years but once Sam Thaiday scored after four minutes, from a Johnathan Thurston pass, it was virtually all one-way traffic.
Thurston converted and kicked a penalty to put the Maroons 8-0 to the good in as many minutes before Boyd was on hand to take the mercurial stand-off's pass and cross the opponents' tryline for a second time.
He then slotted his third kick to give Queensland a commanding 14-0 lead at half-time, coincidentally the same score the Blues were ahead in Sydney in Origin I at the half-time break - a game they would see out eventually 14-6.
Thurston was again pivotal as the home side carried on from where they left nine minutes after the restart flinging a wonderful, looping missed pass to pick out Boyd for the winger's 12th Origin touchdown.
The attritional contest ignited when Blues' Trent Merrin took offence at a Brent Tate shove on captain Paul Gallen at a play-the-ball with NSW's Greg Bird and Maroon Justin Hodges joining the pair in the sin bin after a dramatic, mass punch-up.
With both sides down to just 11, Greg Inglis then effectively settled the outcome after 55 minutes when he swooped to gather a towering Cooper Cronk bomb to bulldoze over.
The Blues were able to save some face 10 minutes from time when Brett Morris finally breached the home rearguard after pouncing on Robbie Farah's grubber kick.
But it was left to Thurston to have the final say in an incredible team and individual performance by booting a late penalty and set up a mouth-watering decider in three weeks' time, July 17, in Sydney.
