Add Category
Updated
Defending champions New South Wales fought back from a half-time deficit to beat Queensland 14-4 in the Women's State of Origin encounter at North Sydney Oval.
- New South Wales trailed 4-0 at half-time but scored three unanswered tries in the second term
- The Blues' halves pairing of Kirra Dibb and Maddie Studdon were instrumental in the home side's win
- The triumph follows the Blues' victory over the Maroons in last year's Women's State of Origin fixture
The Blues were outplayed in the first half but came storming back into Friday night's contest in the second 30 minutes, with five-eighth Kirra Dibb having her fingerprints all over most of her side's biggest moments in front of a crowd 10,515.
The three-tries-to-one triumph over the Maroons backed up the Blues' success in last year's Women's State of Origin match, which they won 16-10.
Queensland had led 4-0 at half-time, courtesy of a Tazmin Gray try late in the first term, and the Maroons should have led by more, as they looked set to break the Blues' stranglehold on the fixture.
The home side had a chance to go ahead when half-back Maddie Studdon dribbled the ball behind the line. Shakiah Tungai latched onto it and seemed certain to score but the Blues' winger bounced the ball and was denied by the bunker.
That is when Dibb imposed herself on the match.
The 21-year-old, on her representative debut, was instrumental in evening up the scores when she fired a cut-out pass for Jessica Sergis, which caught the Queensland defence short.
And after the crafty number six booted her side into field position with a 40-20, Studdon sent winger Tungai over.
Tungai made no mistakes to give her side the lead for the first time in the contest and when Studdon dummied her way through the line, it sealed the Blues' fourth-straight interstate win over the Maroons.
Blues prop Simaima Taufua laid the platform for her side, running for a match-high 153 metres, while superstar centre Isabelle Kelly was also outstanding.
Queensland dominated field position and territory in the first half on the back of a 5-1 penalty count and the Blues' poor kicking game.
Tallisha Harden went close to opening the scoring but Ali Brigginshaw's final pass was called forward.
Gray finally broke the deadlock five minutes before the break to give her side a 4-0 lead at half-time, however the Maroons did not trouble the scoreboard again.
AAP/ABC
Topics: state-of-origin, sport, rugby-league, nrl, north-sydney-2060, brisbane-4000
First posted