The 2020 State of Origin Series will go down to the decider after New South Wales beat Queensland 34-10 in Sydney. Queensland had shocked NSW in game one of the series but the Blues bounced back scoring six tries in a commanding performance
Wednesday 11 November 2020 14:13, UK
New South Wales beat Queensland 34-10 in game two of the 2020 State of Origin series to take the series to a decider in Brisbane next Wednesday.
The Maroons went ahead through a brilliant Xavier Coates try but the Blues put the foot down and hit back with tries from Cody Walker, James Tedesco and Josh Addo-Carr for a well-deserved 18-4 lead at the break.
They continued in the same vein in the second half as Jack Wighton and Daniel Tupou went over. Queensland managed to score a second through Josh Papali'I but Addo-Carr scored his second for a convincing win.
The decider will take place on Wednesday, November 18 at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
The Maroons suffered an early blow when they lost Cameron Munster after he failed a HIA test but the Blues, led by Nathan Cleary, were exceptional.
Cleary was under massive pressure from the first game with many calling for him to be dropped, however, he proved his critics wrong with a man-of-the-match performance.
The early exchanges were brutal with both sides carrying hard and it was Queensland who struck first with Coates producing a wonderful finish in the corner.
The score certainly swung the momentum the Maroons way but a super break from Cleary set up Kurt Capewell's try which Cleary converted to take a lead.
From then on, it was all New South Wales who dragged the Queensland defence from one side of the pitch to the other and created space. Tedesco made the most of this when he burst through the midfield for their second, before the outstanding Addo-Carr made it 18-4 at the break.
Queensland needed a good start but it was the Blues who struck with Wighton making the most of some quick hands to score in the corner.
The pressure was telling on the Maroons, who were making far too many errors in attack and were being run ragged in defence. Tupou was next over the line, while Addo-Carr scored his second after beating a nonchalant Phillip Sami to a Walker kick.
The game was beginning to get niggly and boiled over when Payne Haas and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui came to blows and were both sin-binned.
There was a hint of possible fightback from the Maroons when Papali'I powered over, but Cleary had the final word with a penalty for a dominant win.
