Tuquiri and Tigers too good for Tahu and Eels

by StreetCorner Staff
26/03/2010

The Parramatta Eels were outclassed by Benji Marshall at the Sydney Football Stadium as they went down to the Tigers 23-12 despite threatening a comeback in the second half. The Tigers’ new attacking combination of Benji Marshall and their own rugby recruit Lote Tuqiri found the first points when Tuqiri grounded a Marshall grubber seven minutes into the game.

The Eels started the game with too much ill-discipline and the referees penalized accordingly. In the 15th minute an offside penalty put the Tigers in scoring position again and this time it was Tim Moltzen who grubbered, with centre Blake Ayshford pushing Feleti Mateo out of the way to score.

The Parramatta Eels went close to scoring in a déjà vu moment for NRL fans, when Jarryd Hayne chipped over the Tigers’ defence and regathered, however this time the fullback was caught and managed to offload to Joel Reddy. The final pass to Eric Grothe went over the sideline though and the Eels remained scoreless.

Two minutes later Parramatta’s luck failed to turn, when Timana Tahu put Krisnan Inu into space on the wing but the sideline was too close for Inu and he tiptoed out just before the tryline.

The Tigers were eager to test Hayne in defence, but for successive sets on the Eels’ line he was there to pick up grubber kicks. In the end Wests settled for an extra point, with Marshall kicking a field goal with less than two minutes remaining in the first half.

Poor discipline again hurt the Eels at the start of the second half with a knock-on and then a penalty handing Wests Tigers a set close to the Eels’ line just five minutes in. Marshall made the most of the opportunity, completing a run-around with Mark Flanagan to score under the posts.

It took a penalty in favour of the Eels to spark the side and halfback Jeff Robson’s cross-field kick found Joel Reddy leaping high above Tuqiri to score and bring the gap back to nine points.

Hayne set up the Eels’ next try with a long pass out to Timana Tahu which created space. Tahu drew the defence before passing to Inu, who converted his own try from the sideline.

The Eels lost momentum however when a pass from Feleti Mateo was ruled forward in the next set, but Parramatta were able to keep the Tigers out. Another penalty gave the home side possession close to the Eels’ line and Tuqiri soared mid-air to ground a grubber out of dummy half.

The Tigers sealed the victory after Hayne was ruled to have knocked on close to the Tigers’ line after a second effort in the tackle. From the scrum Marshall dummied and sprinted 85 metres for the final try. WESTS TIGERS 23 (Lote Tuqiri 2, Benji Marshall 2, Blake Ayshford tries; Benji Marshall goal; Benji Marshall field goal) PARRAMATTA EELS 12 (Joel Reddy, Krisnan Inu tries; Krisnan Inu 2 goals) at Sydney Football Stadium. Crowd: 21,318.

An under-strength Parramatta Eels Toyota Cup side had a disappointing night at the SFS, going down to the Wests Tigers 56-24.

Parramatta back-rower David Thomas gave the Eels something to smile about at the end of the match when his line break led to a try for Fred Lang Siu. Jaydin Tavita kicked a spectacular goal from the sideline which dribbled over the crossbar but Parramatta were soundly beaten 56-24 in a disappointing performance.

WESTS TIGERS 56 (Sama Sauvao 4, Faleula Finau 2, Dean Parata, Jake Clarke, Joel Wisbey, Junior Roqica tries; Jake Mullaney 8 goals) def PARRAMATTA EELS 18 (Fred Latulipe 2, Pat O’Hanlon, Fred Lang Siu tries; Jaydin Tavita 4 goals).

Source: Parramatta Eels

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