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The Queensland Maroons have won Game 1 of the 2015 State of Origin series, defeating the New South Wales Blues by the score of 11-10
In the end, it took the experience of half Cooper Cronk to ice the game for the Maroons, snapping a crucial field goal in the 74th minute to win the match for his state.
STATE OF ORIGIN LIVE SCORES – GAME 3
Queensland won the toss and elected to kick off, giving NSW first opportunity with the ball in hand. Aaron Woods took the first hitup of the game.
Billy Slater thought he had scored the first try for Queensland off a Johnathan Thurston kick. It was to be denied by the video referee, however, for a push in the back from Slater on Blues half Trent Hodkinson.
Full State of Origin 1 wrap:
>> ORIGIN 1 MATCH REPORT
>> FULL ORIGIN RESULTS
>> Live blog and highlights
>> Cameron Smith given man of the match
>> The Roar’s Origin 1 player ratings: Queensland
>> The Roar’s Origin 1 player ratings: New South Wales
They wouldn’t be denied a few minutes later, however, with Cooper Cronk crossing in the 14th minute. Johnathan Thurston was successful with the subsequent conversion attempt, and Queensland took an early 6-0 lead.
The Blues would have the better of the rest of the first half, however, with tries to Josh Morris and Beau Scott.
The try to Morris will go down as a great Origin moment, with James Tamou offloading for Josh Dugan who kicked ahead for the flying centre. He beat Darius Boyd in a footrace to give the Blues their first points of the match.
Beau Scott’s try was more straight forward, but just as important, and Hodkinson was successful with the conversion to give the Blues a 10-6 lead at half time.
The Maroons missed a golden opportunity early in the first half, after Greg Inglis failed to throw an accurate pass to fellow Origin try scoring leader Darius Boyd.
Trading blows would be the order of the second half, with the referees setting a generous 10 metres, allowing both teams to throw the ball around.
It would be Queensland who would break the see-sawing battle, with a well-worked play giving the Maroons the chance to take the lead. Winger Will Chambers claimed the try in the corner, but the kick was unsuccessful from Thurston, and the score was locked up with 25 minutes on the clock.
William Chambers scored his first try in Maroon in Origin I. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
A grandstand finish was in the works.
Three line dropouts in a row saw the Blues’ defence under all sorts of pressure, but clever interchange from coach Laurie Daley saw New South Wales able to hold on.
The match didn’t disappoint. Both team had opportunities to close out the match, but it was down to experience that won the day for the Maroons.
Capitalising on a poor set from NSW close to the line, Queensland got seven tackles from a 20 metre tap. Cooper Cronk got himself into position, and knocked over a field goal from 30 metres out.
Cooper Cronk of the Maroons scores a field goal during State of Origin Game I (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
With seven minutes on the clock, there was time for NSW to even things up or steal the match.
But it wasn’t to be. Poor organisation on an attacking set saw Josh Dugan receive the ball on their last opportunity to grab a draw, and his field goal attempt sailed wide.
Queensland win Game 1 of the 2015 State of Origin series.
Cooper Cronk celebrates after scoring a try during State of Origin Game I. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
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