State of Origin game II: Queensland beat New South Wales 26-24
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow of the Maroons celebrates after scoring a try during the State of Origin game two match between the Queensland Maroons and the NSW Blues.
Photo:
AAP / Photosport
Queensland have held on to beat New South Wales in the second State of Origin clash at Optus Stadium in Perth.
The Maroons led 26-6 at halftime, and while they were unable to score in the second half and NSW surged back into the match, Queensland won the game 26-24.
The 2025 State of Origin series is now tied 1-1.
See how the game unfolded with the live blog:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 20 June
Photo: RNZ Two Fiji-born wingers will be on opposite sides in Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific final. Chiefs player Emoni Narawa will line up against Sevu Reece of the Crusaders in what is expected to be also a final All Blacks trial run for the duo. Both are in contention for All Blacks inclusion, with impressive performances so far this season. Narawa scored two tries against the Brumbies in their semi-final clash last weekend, while Reece is the competition's top try-scorer with 66 tries. Public ticket allocations for the final were exhausted within minutes of going on sale on Tuesday. A number of players with Pasifika heritage were on opposing sides in Wednesday's State of Origin II in Perth, which the Queensland Maroons won 26-24. Queensland's win means the series with be decided in the third game in three weeks. Samoa heritage player Valentine Holmes was a star for the Maroons, with a perfect night off the tee, kicking four conversions and a penalty goal. The Blues had a number of players with Samoan lineage, which included winger Brian To'o, who scored a hat trick, foward Payne Haas and Jarome Luai. PNG Hunters head coach Paul Aiton says they can not afford 'silly errors' when they meet the Brisbane Tigers in the Hostplus Cup round 14 match in Brisbane on Sunday. The Post-Courier reports Aiton saying he does not want to see the same mistakes that have cost them two recent matches happening again against the Tigers. He says while the team's forward pack and bench rotation have performed well, they've struggled to consistently finish sets and close out games. But despite the challenges and a significant number of debutants this season, Aiton remains confident, believing consistent execution will lead to positive results for the team. Papua New Guinea's women's Twenty20 cricket team has beaten the Australian indigenous team for the first time, at a cricket invitational in Port Moresby. Chasing 112 runs to win, the Lewas reached the target with one ball to spare and two wickets in hand, finishing on 113 for 8. They also top the table with two days of matches to play, based on net run rate. In Thursday's other game, Vanuatu beat Samoa by nine runs. On Friday, PNG is taking on Vanuatu and Samoa plays the Australian indigenous team. Tonga's sports minister Sinai Tu'itahi says funds will be secured for the hosting of the 2031 Pacific Games. Talanoa 'o Tonga reported both Tu'itahi and Prime Minister Dr 'Aisake Eke "agree to host the 2031 Pacific Games in Tonga" and have detailed funding plans that will be presented in Parliament soon. Tu'itahi said the sports levy fee, initially set up for the hosting of the 2019 Pacific Games which Tonga later backed out of, will be diverted towards preparation for the 2031 Games. She also confirmed that two unnamed foreign countries have offered support, with the government already stating it will need around US$26 million to fund its six‑year Games roadmap. Flanker Miracle Failagi has extended his Super Rugby Pacific contract with Moana Pasifika. The franchise said the 25-year-old has become an important figure for the team. Head coach Fa'alogo Tana Umaga said Failagi is a huge part of the Moana Pasifika movement. Failagi formed a strong loose trio partnership with departing captain Ardie Savea and Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa this year and ranked among the top tacklers and ball carriers in the competition. The head of Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) Keziah Lewis has resigned. Cook Islands News reported the committee has confirmed the resignation. Committee president, Luisa Peters, said Lewis had successfully steered the organization through two leadership changes and introduced new ideas which aimed to benefit athletes and the sporting community. Lewis' resignation will be effective from 10 July.
RNZ News
15 hours ago
- RNZ News
NRL: Wounded Penrith Panthers still dangerous proposition for NZ Warriors
Penrith celebrate their fourth NRL crown last season. Photo: Photosport Warriors v Panthers Kickoff: 5pm Sunday 21 June Go Media Stadium, Auckland Live blog updates on RNZ Sport NZ Warriors fans should not be fooled by the prospect of a depleted and seemingly out-of-form Penrith Panthers side arriving at Go Media Stadium on Saturday. The four-time defending NRL champions have not played in Auckland since 2019 - before their premiership run began - but have so far struggled in their bid for a fifth straight crown, currently languishing one point outside the playoff picture in ninth with five wins, seven losses and a rare draw. A five-game losing streak set them on their heels early and, as recently as four weeks ago, they sat bottom of the table, but back-to-back wins and a bye week have considerably boosted their hopes. "Obviously, it's not where they want it to be, that's pretty clear," Warriors coach Andrew Webster observed. "They normally have more wins on the board, but you can see they're building to something. "They know when to put the foot down and compete at a high level when it matters. I think you'll definitely see them challenge in this competition. "They're a strong club that are very proud and they'll find a way to get back to where they want to be." Coach Ivan Cleary has ruled out his five State of Origin stars for this fixture, lamenting a shortage of flights available to bring son Nathan, captain Isaah Yeo, fullback Dylan Edwards, winger Brian To'o and second-rower Liam Martin from Perth to Auckland with time to sufficiently recover. "The Origin players won't be playing because they can't," Cleary said. "I don't think it's fair that we can't play... we should be able to make that decision. Through flights, we just can't get them there." The Origin window has often been a difficult period for Penrith, but if the Warriors needed a reminder to never underestimate their rivals, it came in July 2017, when they travelled to the foot of the Blue Mountains to face a seemingly impotent line-up without its star-studded halves combination of Nathan Cleary and James Maloney. Instead, the visitors were shredded 36-4 by rookie Jarome Luai, who scored a try double and kicking 6/8 off the tee, for a personal haul of 20 points in just his second first-grade appearance. These days, Luai is also an Origin veteran, but has taken his talents to Wests Tigers. Only Roger Tuivasa-Sheck remains of that Warriors side, but ironically, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, James Fisher-Harris and Wayde Egan of the current squad turned out for Penrith that night. That encounter also somehow fell between the gaps in Webster's career, somewhere between his first stint at Mt Smart and his move to the Panthers, as Ivan Cleary's assistant. "That's a long time ago, I wasn't at either club - I was at the Tigers probably," he recalled. "I was living in Penrith and probably went to the game." Ivan Cleary (right) won't have son Nathan to steer the ship on Saturday. Photo: AAP/ Webster and Cleary have forged a strong relationship over the years, from the time they first hooked up at Wests, then a two-year period together at Penrith. Webster helped the Panthers to the first two titles of their dynasty, before returning across the Tasman to the Warriors with Cleary's recommendation for the top job. This will be their fourth head-to-head meeting, with Cleary ahead 2-1, but the Warriors took the most recent victory at 'Magic Round' in Brisbane last year, when their own revamped line-up shocked the titleholders with a late converted try to fullback Taine Tuaupiki. Webster admitted the significance of meeting his old club and mentor probably wasn't as strong as it once was. "Early on, the first couple of times you do it, you look into it a bit," he said. "Still got some fond memories and some people there I've got a lot of respect for, particularly Ivan, but that's kind of dwindled now. "They're the ex team, and you've got to go out and win. There are two points up for grabs and we're motivated to get better at what we want to do. "I'm just glad that the fans get the champions at our stadium." Ivan Cleary. Photo: Photosport Both teams are coming off a bye week and both have lost coming off their previous byes this season. The Warriors barely fired a shot in the first 40 minutes of a 42-14 defeat to Melbourne Storm in April, while the Panthers dropped a real headscratcher 25-6 against Newcastle Knights three weeks ago. Sitting third on the table, the Warriors produced probably their best performance of the season to vanquish Cronulla Sharks 40-10 two weeks ago, but lost an opportunity to build on any momentum from that outing. "We've got a chance to build on it now," Webster insisted. "It only seems like the other day we played, not like a month ago or six weeks ago. "We've still got an opportunity to build on what we did." The Warriors focused on themselves to start the week, but likely turned their attention towards their opponents nearer to gametime. "Their defence is very aggressive," Webster said. "Their line speed, they go after you, so you've got to make sure you earn your way out of trouble - we've got to have a hard edge about us there. "You have to make sure you have your own backyard in order, earning plenty of momentum with the ball and defending well. "If you start watching everyone and wondering what to do, you start losing focus on yourselves." Meanwhile, Webster has resisted the temptation to name Cleary's youngest son, Jett - born in Auckland during his dad's tenure with the Warriors and now back playing for the club's U21 side - for a surprise NRL debut against his father's team. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
18 hours ago
- RNZ News
Silver Ferns star Grace Nweke awaits Netball NZ eligibility decision
Grace Nweke can't play for the Silver Ferns, after choosing to contest the Aussie Super Netball competition. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Netball NZ says it will soon decide on any changes to its eligibility policy, so players can weigh up their options for 2026. That decision can't come soon enough for star shooter Grace Nweke, whose decision to play in the Australian competition ruled her out of playing for the Silver Ferns this year. Chief executive Jennie Wyllie said the NNZ board was reviewing the policy. "That's something that goes hand in hand with a lot of our moving parts at the moment, but it's under consideration and we've made good progress on a direction of travel there," she said. "Still a bit too early to talk to that, we have a lot of stakeholders that we need to work with in the first instance." Time is of the essence, with just four rounds left in both the Australia's Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) and the ANZ Premiership regular seasons. Wyllie said any decision made by the board on eligibility rules would be timely enough for players to make decisions about next year. "Our board understand that, to give our players certainty for the coming year across our system, we need to be able to do this before we go into player contracting, post ANZ Premiership. "The board are taking it under consideration, the timeframes will be conducive to allow clarity for everyone that needs it, when they are making contracting decisions for 2026." Grace Nweke needs to know her options for 2026. Photo: Jason McCawley / Getty Images Nweke said any change could have a big impact on her decision-making and she needed to know where she stood. "Absolutely, there's so many cards on the table in terms of possibilities and options and opportunities, so being able to make an informed decision has been the biggest thing for me," Nweke said. "Since I made my informed decision around this time last year to play here, I haven't really had any more information about the future, so just waiting to know what my options are and what I guess the implications of option A, B, C, D would look like for me is kind of key." The current policy is designed to encourage the country's top netballers to play in the New Zealand league, so it remains strong. If the criteria does not change and Nweke opts to stay in Australia, she would miss next year's Commonwealth Games. The 23-year-old will have to make a decision soon. "It's getting about that time where you think about what you're doing the following season, so definitely looking forward to hearing whatever comes out of Netball New Zealand." Typically, clubs can already re-sign current contracted players in the SSN, before a contracting window opens after the Grand Final to approach players from other clubs. New Zealand is similar, with the added complication that Netball NZ is still finalising a broadcast deal - its current Sky agreement is expiring at the end of the year. The bargaining process for a new 2026 collective agreement between the Players' Association and Netball New Zealand will be delayed, until the national body reaches an agreement on broadcast rights. NNZ has already confirmed that a six-team domestic competition will continue in 2026. "It will be visible to our fans, but we're just working through that detail," Wyllie said. Nweke said she could feel the growth she had made since joining SSN, and had learnt a lot from playing against a range of international defenders from Jamaica, England and Australia. "Each week, teams are working on ways to combat our attacking unit, so there are moments where I genuinely feel quite stumped or really challenged, and I go to the bench, and ask for coaching and advice. The opportunity to learn in the moment has been awesome." Casey Kopua has come out of retirement to fulfill her Super Netball ambition. Photo: Brendon Thorne Silver Fern centurion Casey Kopua made a shock return to netball, when she came out of retirement three weeks ago to help the injury-depleted Giants, halfway through the SSN season. Kopua, 40, retired from elite netball, after helping the Silver Ferns win the 2019 Netball World Cup, but had always wanted to play in the SSN. She will mark Nweke when her side plays the Swifts on Sunday and said she could understand the appeal for players who wanted to test themselves across the Tasman. Kopua said she missed the former trans-Tasman competition, when it ended after the 2016 season. "I was a big advocate for that to carry on," she said. "I loved coming up against the Aussies, and you could test yourself and see where you were at. "Also, I guess, it kept you at that international level, so when you played them internationally, it wasn't so much of a shock. I was all for that, playing them week in and week out." The eligibility issue first came to the forefront when teammate Laura Langman wanted to play in Australia. She was eventually given an exemption and captained the Silver Ferns to the 2019 World Cup victory. While she could see both sides of the debate, Kopua said playing in the SSN could only be a good thing for Nweke's game. "She's going to be learning a whole lot more skills and tools that she can bring back. If it makes her a better person and a better player, then why not? "She's an outstanding player and I think that New Zealand Netball need her." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
