Westpac NSW U19s Women go back-to-back

The Westpac NSW U19s Women’s team secured back-to-back wins in the annual State of Origin clash after defeating Queensland 26-10 at Sunshine Coast Stadium tonight.

With seven players taking the field from last year’s winning team, NSW once again proved too strong for their counterparts ensuring the shield returns back to Sydney for another year.

The opening 10 minutes saw both sides struggle to complete sets with each team making costly errors however once each team cleaned up their discipline the game turned into set-for-set football.

Queensland found the try line first through prop Reegan Hicks who crashed through the defensive line to score the first four-pointer of the game in the 15th minute.

Despite conceding the first points, NSW bounced back quickly through forward Bronte Wilson who made an immediate impact off the bench, scoring in her first touch of the game.

For the remaining 15 minutes of the half NSW had all the momentum and were marching up the field into Queensland territory with ease. Five-eighth Evie McGrath added another four points on the board chasing a loose ball – dropped by QLD on the fifth – to regather and score in the corner.

Holding all momentum, NSW made QLD pay once more just before half-time, shifting the ball quickly out left creating an overlap for centre Tyra Ekepati who ran through a hole in the defensive line to score.

A successful conversion goal from fullback Logan Fletcher saw NSW head into half-time with a 16-6 lead.

Queensland came out of the blocks firing to start the second half, and in what felt like déjà vu to the opening 30, they were first to add points to the scoreboard. Regathering the ball through a lucky bounce of the ball, QLD winger Jennifer Kimber raced 20 metres downfield to score.

Clicking back into gear in the 47th minute, hooker Tori Shipton found space through the middle of the field before offloading to lock Ryvrr-Lee Alo. Alo raced down field before passing the ball to halfback Kasey Reh who scored under the posts.

NSW proceeded to go back-to-back, finding themselves back within 10m of Queensland’s try line before the left edge combined to send winger Maria Paseka over in the corner.

Finding themselves defending their line for the remaining six minutes of the game, NSW proved too strong holding out QLD until the full-time buzzer rang.