Rabbitohs Joust Knights

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have registered their tenth victory of the season with resounding 34-14 win over the Newcastle Knights at ANZ Stadium today.

The Rabbitohs ran in six tries to three in front of 16,104 Members and supporters and home today, taking them to 24 competition points with eight games remaining this season.

The Rabbitohs opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Dylan Farrell touched down for his four-pointer. On the back of a repeat set and some prolific charges up the middle from Luke and Sam Burgess, the Rabbitohs swung the ball to the right, setting Dylan up for the score. Halfback Adam Reynolds converted to take the score to six-nil.

The Rabbitohs continued to pile the pressure on the visitors with some stampeding runs up the middle of the ruck and and an accurate kicking game.

The pressure paid dividends with five-eighth John Sutton crossing for a try in the 13th minute. A massive break was made by Sam Burgess, followed by a pin point cross field kick by Reynolds. Fullback Greg inglis tapped the ball back to Sutton who strolled over to score. Reynolds converted to make the deficit 12.

An error from the kick off gave the Knights some much needed field position, and they made the most of the opportunity when winger Akuila Uate crossed for the first of his two tries, scored in the right hand corner, making the conversion attempt very difficult. It was waved away, reducing the deficit to eight.

Four minutes later, Hunter Valley-product Andrew Everingham scored his 11th try of the season. A bust by Luke Burgess up the middle again made space for Inglis, who in turn offloaded to captain Michael Crocker.

The ball made it’s way to Sutton who put up the bomb, with the ball ending up in the grasp of Reynolds. Reynolds spotted an open Everingham out wide on the right, putting in the perfect cross field kick for the winger to score in the corner. The conversion attempt hit the uprights and bounced away, restoring the 12-point difference.

The video referee denied the Knights a try in the 23rd minute following an illegal strip of the ball.

The Rabbitohs took advantage straight away with Issac Luke crossing one minute later right underneath the black dot. This time it was Jason Clark who made the bust up the middle of the ruck, finding Crocker who then found Luke, putting him away under the posts. Reynolds converted taking the lead out to 22-4 before the break.

With three minutes left in the game, Newcastle second rower Chris Houston scored, beating a tackle to get over for the try, with halfback Tyrone Roberts converting to take the scores to 22-10 at the half time break.

The Rabbitohs started the second half the way they played in the first, with the youngest of the Burgess’, George, making a huge run from a drop out, carrying four tacklers on his back over 15 metres.

It took until the 54th minute for the Rabbitohs to post more points, this time through replacement forward Nathan Peats. A second-man play from Issac Luke found Peats who ran through a big hole in the defence to score. Reynolds converted again to take the scores to 28-10 in favour of the red and greens.

Four minutes later second rower Chris McQueen scored an unusual try coming off the back of a grubber kick from Sutton. McQueen chased through on Uate who had cleaned up the ball in the in-goal, and in the act of making the tackle he stripped the ball one-on-one, touching down to score. The video referee ruled he was onside and the four-pointer would stand. Reynolds added the extras to take lead to 34-10.

Uate scored his second try in the 67th minute, diving over in the right corner, reducing the deficit to 20 with only 13 minutes left on the clock.

The Rabbitohs then began to dish out some heavy defence. Sam Burgess nailed rookie Knights forward Kyle O’Donnell, a head clash knocking the young man senseless.

Two minutes later birthday boy Dave Taylor smashed Knights winger James McManus, signalling the Rabbitohs intention to close out the match and move to 24 competition points in the process.

The final score of 34-14 in favour of the men in cardinal and myrtle could have been much more, with a number of chances going begging through poor handling and missed final passes.

The Rabbitohs, however, did the job asked of them by their Members, as they prepare to take on the Sydney Roosters next Monday night at Allianz Stadium at 7pm.

Rabbitohs Head Coach Michael Maguire wass pleased with the result and the performance of his players.

“Each individual is turning up and doing their job, and that is what this team is about,” he said.

“We’re doing that at the moment which is the pleasing thing.”

Knights Head Coach Wayne Bennett was succinct in his praise of the victors today.

“They were too big and too strong for us. Too good,” Bennett said in the post-match media conference.

“South Sydney is one of the top teams in the competition. They play as good as anyone on their day.”

South Sydney Rabbitohs 34 (Dylan Farrell, John Sutton, Andrew Everingham, Issac Luke, Nathan Peats, Chris McQueen tries; Adam Reynolds 5 goals) def. Newcastle Knights 14 (Akuila Uate 2, Chris Houston tries; Tyrone Roberts goal)

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