Southern Tasmania has won the inaugural Rugby League State Wide challenge defeating Northern Tasmania 16 to 14 At Royal Park in Launceston on Saturday.
In a thrilling match the Souths held off a determined Northern Team in a game that went down to the wire.
The game was an arm wrestle for the first twenty minutes until Northern Captain, Criff Tupuo, burst through the Southern defence to score under the posts. Five minutes later 17 year old winger, Zac Locke, stunned the big crowd with a thirty metre dash to score out wide for the South. The try was unconverted and the North clung to a 6 to 4 lead at half time.
After the break Northern Tasmania started to control the ruck area with big prop, Harry Johnson, scoring in the 47th minutes to give the North a 10 to 6 lead.
Tupou was sent to the sin bin in the sixtieth minute for an indiscretion and the South struck back.
Following some strong work by Captain Sunnia Maafu and Matt Ford, the South were rewarded with two tries by winger Zac Locke and hooker Vaha Afa in the 60th and 65th minutes and clung to a 16 to 10 lead with time running down on the clock.
Man of the match Nate Wells and second rower Sam Rice continued to work the North into a scoring position and their hard work was rewarded in the 78th minute when bullocking centre, Perry Chancellor, scored out wide to give inside centre, Jake Shayer, a difficult kick to draw the match.
Facing the wind and rain, Shayer gave the kick every chance but it swung too wide hitting the left goal post depriving the North of a well deserved draw.
Best for Southern Tasmania were Sunnia Maafu, Matt Ford and Zac Locke. The North’s best players were Sam Rice, Nate Wells and Jake Shayer.
Southern Tasmania 16 (Kaden Salter, Zac Locke, Vaha Afa tries Fale Atileo 2 conversions) Northern Tasmania 14 (Criff Tupou, Harry Johnson, Perry Chancellor tries, Jake Shayer conversion)
Referee: Scott Dyson
Touch Judges: Clive Traill, Jack Dyson
Justin Kearney
Chairman
Tasmanian Rugby League
0468 427 858
