NSW avoid Origin clean sweep

Late Jennings try gives New South Wales consolation win

SYDNEY, July 13, (AFP): Centre Michael Jennings scored with two minutes to go to give New South Wales a thrilling 18-14 win over Queensland in the third State of Origin rugby league match on Wednesday.

The win gave the NSW Blues some consolation after Queensland won the opening two games of the three-match series and sent retiring captain Paul Gallen out on a high note.

“We tried hard - our effort’s been outstanding but it’s just that our execution hasn’t been there in the first two games,” Gallen said. “Thankfully we did it tonight. “We’re playing a great side. Things could have been different if we’d had one or two things go our way in the first two games, but it wasn’t to be.”

Despite the match being a dead rubber, more than 61,000 fans turned up at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium to cheer on the Blues, who lost the opening two matches 6-4 and 22-16.

Those two wins gave the Maroons their 10th win in the past 11 series.

The Queenslanders started where they left off in game two when centre Greg Inglis crashed over in just the fifth minute.

But NSW soon began to take control and dominated possession and territory.

They hit the front when Tyson Frizell steamed onto a Gallen pass and touched down close to the posts with James Maloney converting for a 6-4 lead.

The Blues continued to throw everything at Queensland but the Maroons held them out until halftime thanks to some desperate defence.

But two minutes after the restart the Blues were in

This file photo taken on Nov 30, 2013 shows Australia’s Jarryd Hayne (left), being tackled during the 2013 Rugby League World

Cup Final between Australia and New Zealand at Old Trafford in Manchester. (AFP)