WARRINGTON Wolves Academy started their Australia tour with an impressive performance against South Sydney Rabbitohs before going down to defeat 32-22 in a highly entertaining game at Mascot Oval, Sydney.
It was a momentous occasion for the young Wolves and they were rewarded for a strong start when they opened the scoring in the fourteenth minute; second row Jack Edge was held just short and from the play the ball hooker Lewis Barratt burrowed over from dummy half to score at the side of the posts. Scrum half Joe Hickey converted but then midway through the half the Rabbitohs hit back when a short ball from stand off Zane Rugless put winger Cooper McLaren through a gap to score on the left. Rugless added the conversion to level matters.
Almost immediately an error from the Wolves gifted the Rabbitohs possession close to the line and substitute Yehya Ayache twisted I the tackle to score on the right. Fellow substitute Sam Taylor converted and then swift handling created space for substitute Penese Risale to score on the left and then two minutes before the break a 40/20 from the Rabbitohs paid dividends as Ayache found substitute Billy Sprague and he brushed off two defenders to score on the left. Taylor added the conversion to give his side a 22-6 half time advantage.
Eleven minutes into the second half the Wolves scored the try of the game; from a scrum on their own thirty metre line full back Cai Taylor-Wray gave a great ball to centre Arron Lindop to put him through a gap and he raced seventy metres to score at the left of the posts. Hickey converted but then three minutes later the Rabbitohs pounced on a Wolves error in their own twenty metre area and the ball reached full back Credence Donovan who sold a ‘dummy’ before squeezing over in the left corner. Taylor added a fine touchline conversion.
As the game entered the final ten minutes the Wolves gave themselves a glimmer of hope as Barratt’s bullet pass found loose forward Alfie Mather who crashed over under the posts. Hickey converted but then South Sydney made sure of the win as a kick on the last tackle from Taylor saw Risale jump highest to pat the ball back to centre Naisa Pahulu who score on the right.
The Wolves had the final say with the last play of the game as slick handling between five players saw the ball reach winger Jake Thewlis and he squeezed over in the right corner to make the final score 32-22 to the Rabbitohs.
After the game Wolves Head of Youth Ryan O’Brien said, “It was an unbelievable experience for our boys to play on Australian soil against what was a very slick and athletic South Sydney side. We went toe to toe with them for the majority of the game but had a blip in the second quarter when they scored three unanswered tries. Whilst we gave a decent account of ourselves, we were outclassed in certain areas and our lads now know how much work they have to do to take themselves to the next level.”
SOUTHS
Credence Donovan, Braethan Bilich, Lance Tovio, Naisa Pahulu, Cooper McLaren, Zane Rugless, Matt Humphries, Tavis Felsch, Zane Bell, Palu Tausala, Ryan Casey, Markkuz Ofanoa, Daniel Lua.
Subs: Billy Sprague, James McMullen, PJ Sosiate, Jacob Fong, Shaq Saunders, Kynan Toevai, Jaii Robertson, Jacob Fahim, Lennox Risati, Kobe Heffernan, Emmett Nichols, Tini Tofaeono, Sam Taylor, Yehya Ayache, Tyrese Dungay, Penese Risale.
Tries
McLaren (20 mins), Ayache (22), Risale (26), Sprague (38), Donovan (54), Pahulu (77).
Goals
Rugless 1 from 1
WOLVES
Cai Taylor-Wray, Jake Thewlis, Zack Gardner, Arron Lindop, Frank Sergent, Pat Irwin, Joe Hickey, Stephen Antrobus, Lewis Barratt, Sam Roberts, Sam Fitzsimon, Jack Edge, Alfie Mather.
Subs: Ben Metcalfe, Sam Marshall, Isaac Reid, Ben Godwin, Joe Bajer, Oliver Morgan, Ewan Smith, Adam Whalley.
Tries
Barratt (14 mins), Lindop (51), Mather (71), Thewlis (80).
Goals
Hickey 3 from 3 (last conversion not taken)
