Round 15
South Sydney Rabbitohs 16 d. Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Asotasi inspires Rabbitohs to vital win
Mon June 25, 2007
Source: www.souths.com.au

A Herculean effort from co-captain Roy Asotasi laid the platform for a vital Rabbitohs win at Telstra Stadium today.

Asotasi played the full 80 minutes, a feat rarely seen by a prop in today's game, and scored his first try in the red and green in Souths 16-12 win over the Sharks.
The Kiwi front rower was ably supported by his fellow bookend co-captain Peter Cusack as the Souths props continually dragged their side forward across the wet Telstra Stadium surface. In the post-match press conference Souths coach Jason Taylor praised Asotasi's effort that was instrumental in the Rabbitohs sixth win of the year.

"Those 80 minutes from Roy were an awesome performance," Taylor said.

"I was looking to give Roy a rest but he looked comfortable out there. There aren't many players who can play the full 80 minutes. There is no doubt he is up there with the best front rowers in the world. It has been hard sitting here (in press conferences) with these two (Asotasi and Cusack) talking when we were having those disappointing losses because they couldn't be doing anymore and the guys are following them."

Asotasi burst onto a Jeremy Smith short ball in the 29th minute just 10m out from the Sharks line to score without a hand being laid on him. With the Nathan Merritt conversion Souths went ahead for the first time in the match 10-8.

Rookie winger Mitch Brown scored first for the visitors in the 9th minute when a good offload from Lance Thompson put Ben Pomeroy in the clear who got the ball onto Brown. After numerous replays checking for a double movement video referee Bill Harrigan flashed up 'refs call' and referee Sean Hampstead awarded the try. Luke Covell pushed the conversion wide and the Sharks led 4-0.

The Rabbitohs struck back three minutes later through Dean Widders to tie the scores up at 4-all. Jeremy Smith broke the Cronulla defence 60m out for the Sharks tryline and sprinted 40m before drawing fullback David Simmons for Widders to score. Nathan Merritt missed the conversion.

The Sharks scored the third try of the game when Fraser Anderson dived on a loose ball in the Rabbitohs in-goal after Adam Dykes put Covell away down the left hand blind side in the 19th minute. Covell again missed the conversion.

Asotasi's try then put the Rabbitohs ahead before Nathan Merritt returned to the try scorers list in the 36th minute after diving on a Ben Rogers kick in the Sharks in-goal in the left hand corner of the field. Merritt missed the chance to convert his own try and at half-time the home side led 14-8.

The second half was not as free flowing as the first and an Isaac De Gois try in the 48th minute after a series of short passes on the Souths line for a 14-12 scoreline was the only try of second 40 minutes.

Souths' sole points in the second half were a Nathan Merritt penalty goal in 68th minute.

"We talked hard at half-time about needing to improve defensively in the second half," Taylor said.

"We've been concentrating on our attack and working more with our skills and defensively we dropped a bit. It was a dour affair in the second half but we got the points in a really important game for both teams. As a group we feel we are heading in the right direction. We've been feeling that way for a few weeks now. But we needed a bit of confidence and that win is the icing on the cake of a good month of football. We've played Melbourne away and Manly away two of the toughest games in the league and won against Penrith and Cronulla. If we didn't get that win we might have been back to square one. But our hard work has manifested itself into a win and that is great for our confidence."

The Rabbitohs next game is against the Knights at EnergyAustralia Stadium in round 16 on Friday night June 29 with kick-off at 7.30pm.

South Sydney Rabbitohs16 (D Widders, R Asotasi, N Merritt tries; N Merritt 2 goals)

defeated

Cronulla Sharks 12 (M Brown, F Anderson I De Gois tries)

News sent by: www.souths.com.au


Peachey returns for clash against former club
Tue June 19, 2007
Source: www.souths.com.au

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are pleased to announce their side to take on the Cronulla Sharks in round 15 of the NRL Telstra Premiership this Sunday 24 June at 2pm at Telstra Stadium.

David Peachey returns to fullback for the Rabbitohs this weekend, with the rest of the line up remaining the same.

The referee for Sunday's match is Sean Hampstead. The sideline officials are Jason Walsh and Allen Foster. The video referee is Bill Harrigan.

The Rabbitohs NRL side is:

1. David Peachey
2. Nathan Merritt
3. Nigel Vagana
4. Fetuli Talanoa
5. Paul Mellor
6. Ben Rogers
7. Jeremy Smith
8. Peter Cusack (c)
9. Stuart Webb
10. Roy Asotasi (c)
11. Luke Stuart
12. David Fa'alogo
13. Dean Widders

Interchange:
14. Issac Luke
15. Shane Rigon
16. Manase Manuokafoa
17. Scott Geddes

Coach - Jason Taylor

News sent by: www.souths.com.au

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