Two tries from Julia Robinson, and further scores from Tazmin Gray and Emily Bass helped Queensland take a 1-0 series lead over New South Wales in Syndey; the match at CommBank Stadium was played in front of a record crowd for a women’s inter-state match
Last Updated: 01/06/23 1:23pm
Julia Robinson goes over for one of her two tries in the Women’s State of Origin opener
Julia Robinson’s two tries helped Queensland steal a march on New South Wales with an 18-10 victory in an all-action Women’s State of Origin opener on Thursday.
Winger Robinson put the Maroons ahead in the eighth minute at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium with an unconverted try, only for the Sky Blues to edge ahead through Jess Sergis’ score which was converted by Jesse Southwell.
Queensland seized the initiative with just one minute to go until half-time though as Tamzin Gray crashed over, and further tries from Emily Bass and Robinson put the visitors firmly in control in the second half.
New South Wales threatened a fightback when Jaime Chapman crossed with 19 minutes remaining, but the Maroons were able to hold out to take a 1-0 series lead and send the majority of the record crowd for a women’s inter-state match home disappointed.
Story of the game
This year’s women’s Origin series is being played over two matches for the first time, with New South Wales going into it as the reigning champions after a 20-14 win in the one-off match in Canberra in 2022.
It was Queensland who took the lead after an intense opening to the contest though, shifting play to the right followed by Tamika Upton coming up with a superb cut-out pass to find Brisbane Broncos wing Robinson to finish out wide for an unconverted try.
The 12,972 fans in attendance were cheering for the home side in the 17th minute though as the Sky Blues went in front. A smart run from outside to in from Sergis saw the Australia international take a pass from Rachael Pearson and burst through for a try converted by Jesse Southwell.
Jess Sergis celebrates her try for New South Wales
However, the Maroons went back in front in the 34th minute, punishing an error from the hosts as Tarryn Aiken took the ball to the line and then flicked a pass to her left for second row Gray to power over and make it 10-6 at half-time following Zahara Tamara’s conversion.
NSW were not helped by losing captain Isabelle Kelly to a throat injury just before the break which saw her taken to hospital as a precaution, and the visitors surged further ahead six minutes after the restart on the back of an interception from Shenae Ciesioka.
The centre broke from inside her own half after snuffing out an attack from the Sky Blues, and although she was tackled eventually Queensland were able to keep the attack going which resulted in Gray sending winger Bass over close to the left corner post.
Then in the 45th minute, the away side moved further in front after forcing a goal-line drop-out, with centre Ciesioka stepping the defence and creating space to put the ball on a plate for Robinson to grab her second try of the game.
New South Wales were not done though and struck back in the 51st minute with a well-worked attack from a scrum which ended with Emma Tonegato sending Jaime Chapman over out wide for an unconverted score.
But Queensland’s defence held firm to stop the Sky Blues from closing the gap further, following the Maroons’ men from the previous day in their State of Origin opener in Adelaide. and taking a 1-0 lead in their series.
What’s next?
The second match of the series takes place at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville on Thursday, June 22. Victory for the hosts will see them claim the series 2-0, while a win for New South Wales will see the outcome of the series decided on aggregate score. That match is live on Sky Sports, kicking off at 10.45am UK time.