- Jamie Chapman scored an incredible try against Queensland
- NSW Blues secured a comfortable win on Thursday
- The women play in a historic series of three games
Jamie Chapman scored a try for the ages with a dazzling 85-metre run that set NSW on their way to a comfortable Origin I win over Queensland.
NSW are in the box to take out the first three-match Women’s State of Origin series after a convincing 22-12 win in the series opener at Suncorp Stadium.
Behind enemy lines, the Sky Blues brushed aside concerns prompted by a new halves combination and the lack of competitive fixtures ahead of Thursday evening.
They rode a powerful 14-0 first half to victory and now have the chance to end the historic run with a game in hand when they host the Maroons in Newcastle on June 6.
Kylie Hilder’s surprise decision to replace teenage sensation Jesse Southwell with experienced halfback Rachael Pearson proved to be a masterstroke.
Jamie Chapman scored a stunning try as NSW Blues defeated Queensland Maroons
Chapman ran unchallenged for 85 meters and scored in a dominant victory on Thursday
The 30-year-old drilled a drop-out to the touchline, signaling the start of NSW’s first-half dominance in front of a record 25,492 Women’s Origin crowd.
Pearson continued to kick deftly, showing little sign of the calf injury that had hampered her this month, and made a try-saving one-on-one tackle on Tarryn Aiken in the second half as Queensland stormed back into the match.
Sky Blues pro Caitlan Johnston was excellent with 108 meters and two line breaks, collecting a short ball from Olivia Higgins and crashing to seal Queensland’s comeback with six minutes remaining.
The experienced Maroons had no answer as the visitors moved the ball at breakneck speed early on.
Jaime Chapman, usually a centre-half at club level for Gold Coast, was excellent on the right wing, breaking first on the line break that put the Sky Blues in position for Emma Tonegato to open the scoring.
Her ball-playing key to the half-time lead, lock Olivia Kernick found Johnston with a short ball and the prop’s offload helped fullback Tonegato over the line.
The Blues and Maroons are playing in a historic three-match series this year
Chapman had her own try when she stepped into Emily Bass and then burned reigning Dally M medalist Tamika Upton to run 80 meters and score off a kick return.
Chapman could have had two more tries in the first half if she had been able to deal with Pearson’s field kicks.
The Maroons enjoyed plenty of football after the break and threatened to haunt the visitors, with Upton coming over for the Maroons’ first try after being well controlled up to that point.
Shortly after Emma Manzelmann spilled the ball for what could have been their second, Johnston hit back for NSW.
As the NRL looks to crack down on players making illegal contact with the kicker’s legs, NSW five-eighth Corban Baxter checked in for a shot at Queensland’s Zehara Temara in the first half.