Ample revenge for New South Wales

Three tries in 10 minutes early in the second half put New South Wales on their way to squaring the three-match State of Origin series in Sydney's Stadium Australia yesterday.

Queensland, winners of the first game last month, kept it tight at half-time, but scores from Jamie Ainscough, Trent Barrett and Brad Fittler set up a 26-8 victory for the Blues in front of a 70,000 crowd.

Luke Ricketson had scored the only try of the first half, while the NSW captain, Fittler, went over for a second in a match that made him his state's most-capped player in Origin history.

Chris Walker claimed the only touchdown for an outgunned Queensland, who still have the chance to clinch the series in Brisbane next month.

The former Australian team-mates Mal Meninga and Mark McGaw showed that the fires still burn by having a punch-up in a "Legends of League" match for veterans in Sydney. Queensland beat New South Wales 32-30.

In a match to commemorating 50 years of rugby league between the two countries New Zealand beat France 36-0 in Auckland, while the BARLA Under-21s finished their American tour by beating the Junior Tomahawks 64-14 in Philadelphia.

Back home, in the Northern Ford Premiership Keighley's play-off push continued as they ran in nine tries in the 52-12 win over their rivals Doncaster, with Paul Ashton scoring 24 points.