WESTS TIGERS BEAT CANBERRA 34-22 IN NRLA suspected broken forearm to winger Lote Tuqiri and a right hip injury to centre Chris Lawrence has taken the gloss off a strong 34-22 by Wests Tigers over Canberra Raiders at Campbelltown Sports Stadium tonight.
Tuqiri suffered the injury early in the second half with the Kangaroos winger leaving the field immediately. It is unclear at this stage how long Tuqiri will be sidelined for.
Centre Chris Lawrence was stretchered off in the 74th minute which was diagnosed as a right hip injury. The club will soon advise how long he will be out for.
The win in front of a crowd of 14, 091 moves Wests Tigers to 4 points from the opening three rounds of the Telstra Premiership.
Prior to kick-off, Head Coach Tim Sheens promoted Alan Schirnack to the starting side with Todd Payten moving back to the interchange bench for his 250th NRL game.
Wests Tigers opened the scoring in the ninth minute when re-signed centre Chris Lawrence scored untouched in the corner after five-eighth Benji Marshall drew in two defenders. The try came from a scrum win after Canberra winger Daniel Vidot dropped the ball from a towering kick by hooker and captain Robbie Farah. Marshall converted the try for a 6-0 lead.
Canberra opened their in the 17th minute when Vidot stepped inside two defenders to score after Marshall rushed up out of the line to put pressure on five-eighth Josh McCrone which created room on the outside for the visitors. Centre Jarrod Croker failed to convert the try for a 6-4 scoreline.
Wests Tigers forward Alan Schirnack was placed on report for a high tackle.
Marshall was in the thick of the action again when he showed and go before drawing in Croker to send winger Matt Utai to dive over in the corner for a 10-4 lead after 25 minutes. It came on the back of Wests Tigers enjoying a feast of possession. Marshall failed to convert the try.
Referee Jason Robinson called on video referee Steve Clark in the 33rd minute to see whether Lawrence had grounded the ball on the line in a tackle made by McCrone with full-back Josh Dugan falling to his feet. It was ruled no try, resulting in Lawrence playing the ball 10 metres out from the Raiders line.
The Raiders got the ball back two plays later when Dugan regathered the ball from a Rob Lui grubber kick and forced his way back in field despite the attention of four defenders.
Lui then took on Canberra prop Brett White in a 10 metre run to the line to score in the 35th minute for a 14-4 lead. Marshall converted the try for a 16-4 lead.
2nd Half
Canberra winger Blake Ferguson prevented a certain Wests Tigers try when he knocked down a pass from Lui 10 metres from his tryline. Utai was tackled just short of the line on the previous play.
Marshall converted a penalty goal in the 46th minute to stretch Wests Tigers lead to 18-4.
Canberra winger Blake Ferguson raced 90 metres to score from a scrum win to beat the cover defence to score. Croker converted the try for an 18-10 scoreline.
Wests Tigers stretched their lead again when lock Chris Heighington scored in the right corner after a short pass by back-rower Todd Payten. Marshall failed to convert the try for a 22-10 scoreline after 57 minutes.
Two minutes later, Wests Tigers spread the ball left before centre turned makeshift winger Blake Ayshford diver over in the left corner for a 26-10 scoreline. Marshall took a massive divot in his attempt with the ball falling way short of the posts.
Marshall then kicked a penalty goal in the 64th minute to give Wests Tigers a 28-10 lead.
Exciting young Wests Tigers prop Andrew Fifita latched on to a short pass from Tim Moltzen before brushing off Dugan to race 40 metres to dive over out wide for a 32-10 lead after 69 minutes. Marshall converted the try.
Ferguson scored his second try in the 72nd minute when he planted the ball inside the right corner post off a short kick for a 32-14 scoreline. Croker failed to convert the try.
Canberra scored two late tries to Dugan and Ferguson – his third – to bring the scoreline to 34-22 but the real drama was at the end with the devastating injuries to Tuqiri and Lawrence.
Source:[/url] Weststigers.com.au
Topic: WESTS TIGERS BEAT CANBERRA 34-22 IN NRL
