Mitchell Pearce will not be returning to the field after this.
It’s been an absolute belter of a first half in State of Origin Game 1. Both teams have been playing about as close to perfect as you could have asked, with New South Wales going into the break up 4-12.
Neither team was giving an inch and that same spirit carried through to the second half when Mitchell Pearce copped a sickening blow to the head from Will Chambers.
State of Origin Game 1 coverage
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» WATCH: James Maloney opens the scoring with an early try
» WATCH: Commentators forget where the game’s being played
» WATCH: Jarryd Hayne and Cooper Cronk trade moments of brilliance
» WATCH: Mitchell Pearce knocked out in sickening collision
Just inside ten minutes of the second half as the Blues were making a charge down the field, Pearce passed the ball down the right wing just as the Maroons centre cleaned him up with a massive shoulder to the temple.
The New South Wales halfback was immediately in a bad way and was attended to by doctors on the ground before being taken off looking incredibly groggy.
He was soon ruled out of the remainder of the game with a concussion.
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