Scintillating Sandow lights up damp ANZ

Chris Sandow has lit up ANZ and got South Sydney there 3rd win of the season, in a wet 31-12 victory in front of 9,263 fans.

It was a night where flashy play would be put on the backburner, with both sides needing a victory to pull themselves from the bottom of the NRL premiership. It showed in the opening ten minutes, with both sides completing their sets.

Repeat sets would be where pressure is built, it brought upon the first points, after Greg Inglis had to bat it dead. From the next set, Paul Aiton found a hole to scoot through to open the scoring as the rain got harder, John Williams converted to make it 6-0.

Ill discipline cost the Rabbitohs the next points, when a silly leg pull allowed Matthew Wright to step up and convert, after John Williams left the field with an ankle injury. Five minutes later, Cronulla would make it a dozen points when an inside ball put Wade Graham over and Wright converted.

South Sydney hit back just before the break, seemingly fired up after a failed penalty goal from Cronulla. Greg Inglis split the defense and passed it to James Roberts to get his first try in the NRL, Sandow converted to make it 12-6 at the break.

John Sutton would signal South Sydney's intentions for the half, when he nailed a 40/20 in the first set. While they didn't score of that set, it wasn't long before they did, Dave Taylor steaming onto a Sutton ball to give the two sides parity after 50 minutes.

Once they had a sniff, Souths went for the kill. Chris Sandow would take an intercept, when Cronulla tried to go wide. He converted his own try, to give South Sydney the lead for the first time in the game.

Nine minutes later, it was guess who again. Chris Sandow stepped his way past some Sharks defense like they were statues to score his second plus converted to make the task that much harder for Cronulla at 24-12.

It wouldn't be a good performance from Chris Sandow, without a field goal, this time to put the icing on the win for South Sydney, making it a bridge too far for a spirited Sharks outfit. Merritt would blow the scoreline out, with his 99th try for the Rabbitohs and make the end scoreline 31 points to 12. South Sydney shutting out Cronulla in the second half.

Match Details
South Sydney Rabbitohs 31 defeated Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 12
National Rugby League - Round 8 - Friday April 29, 2011 7:30pm
Venue: ANZ Stadium
Referee: Tony Archer and Brett Suttor
Video Referee: Russell Smith
Touch Judges: Russell Turner and Adam Reid
Crowd: 9,263
Halftime: South Sydney Rabbitohs 6 Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 12

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Chris Sandow (2 Tries, 5 Conversions, 1 Field Goal)
2 Points - Issac Luke
1 Point - Jeremy Smith

South Sydney Rabbitohs (31)
Tries: Nathan Merritt, Dave Taylor, Chris Sandow (2), James Roberts
Field Goals: Chris Sandow (1/1)
Conversions: Chris Sandow (5/5)

Cronulla Sutherland Sharks (12)
Tries: Paul Aiton, Wade Graham
Conversions: John Williams (0/1), Matthew Wright (1/1)
Penalty Goals: Matthew Wright (1/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Welcome to a wet ANZ stadium, for a crucial contest between South Sydney and Cronulla.
We're underway and Cronulla have first possession, running right to left. Well, if you could actually see a television screen.
3 min: End-to-end stuff from both sides, each getting to their kicks. Very small crowd in at the moment.
6 min: First PENALTY of the night for South Sydney, high tackle. They'll have the first attacking set of the game.
7 min: Souths error from Dave Taylor ends the attacking set just 3 tackles in. Poor stuff from the home side.
9 min: Attempted chargedown by Souths on halfway is a failure, Dylan Farrell knocks the ricocheted ball on. Sharks scrum, they'll get their first attacking set.
10 min: Low, short grubber in under the line on the last from Cronulla forces Greg Inglis to bat it dead. Dropout.
12 min: TRY
TRY Cronulla, Aiton does well to catch the markers and defensive line asleep from about 10m out. He opens the scoring for Cronulla. Williams misses.
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 4-0
15 min: Cronulla are winning the territorial battle early on, making 50+ metres while Souths are struggling to make it over halfway.
20 min: Stupid leg pull on last from Michael Crocker, Cronulla get a whole set on the Rabbitohs line. No they opt for the goal.
21 min: PENALTY GOAL
Wright puts it through the sticks.
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 6-0
23 min: Ball control is paramount in these wet conditions, no one told that to Dave Taylor. He tries a stupid offload while being held in the tackle and loses it.
24 min: James Roberts leaps high but gets into a tangle with Inglis and drops the ball.
26 min: TRY
Anthony Tupou cuts back on the inside and waits until the gaping hole opens up for Wade Graham, who just goes through it untouched. Wright is perfect with the kick again.
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 12-0
29 min: Attention to detail is important tonight, James Roberts was already flirting with danger, carrying it one handed but he's pinged for not playing it correctly.
30 min: PENALTY GOAL ATTEMPT
Cronulla opt for the penalty kick again, this time though Wright misses.
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 12-0
32 min: Souths have finally muscled up and force an error. John Williams won't return tonight, ligament damage.
34 min: TRY
That is why South Sydney bought Inglis! He explodes after an offload, taking off downfield but he's swamped by the cover and passes to James Roberts to get his first try in first grade. Sandow swings it over.
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 12-6
37 min: Souths fans are booing anything but the referee holds firm.
40 min: Uh-oh. 30 seconds left, South Sydney will have a final shot in this half, after a forward pass from Aiton.
40 min: They try a play to Inglis but he's contained by Bakuya. Souths try to spread it to the right with the hooter sounding but the ball goes over the sideline.
41 min: We're back, it's still raining but here we go! Cronulla get the second half underway.
42 min: Great start from South Sydney, John Sutton nails a 40/20.
43 min: Asotasi goes close, taking three men to stop him but the last tackle option is shocking being knocked on.
45 min: Butterfingers from Pomeroy gifts Souths another set on the Sharks line.
47 min: TRY
John Sutton crabs across field waiting for the coal train, Dave Taylor to steam onto the ball. He skittles a few defenders and scores right besides the posts. Sandow has no problems with the conversion.
12 all
48 min: Souths push one pass too many in these conditions and it's spilt.
Checking if Ben Pomeroy has scored this, he looks like he's dropped it but also checking the challenge from Inglis.
49 min: NO TRY! Cross-field kick from Graham is spilled by Pomeroy over the line.
53 min: TRY
Cronulla are rolling the dice on last tackle, running the ball, unfortunately Graham leaves the pass too late, Chris Sandow taps it in the air and intercepts the ball, running away to score. Sandow converts his own try to make it a six point lead.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 18-12
55 min: High shot from McPherson, gives Cronulla an easy out from their own half.
57 min: Cronulla will have nightmares of backline plays, they try to spread it again but another intercept, this time Isaac Luke. Merrit spills the ball to kill the momentum though.
59 min: Commentators curse from Fittler there, says Cronulla were back in the game and then Snowden drops it cold.
61 min: Drop balls are piling up for Cronulla, just saying please finish us off South Sydney.
62 min: TRY
Guess who, Sandow again! He finds some space, one pass from the play the ball and steps his way to the try-line. Conversion from in front in elementary, 4/4 tonight Sandow.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 24-12
66 min: It's all unraveling here for Cronulla, a forward pass here.
68 min: FIELD GOAL
Here's the icing on the cake, go along with his two tries. Chris Sandow nails a field goal and doesn't point to the camera!
South Sydney Rabbitohs 25-12
70 min: Greg Inglis spills an easy one, if that was a pie, he would have caught that.
71 min: A good spread there by Cronulla earns them a repeat set, from a Colin Best kick.
73 min: Some luck here for Cronulla, a simple lost ball is judged to be played at by South Sydney.
Tim Smith might have a try somehow.
75 min: NO TRY! Kade Snowden is offside and unfortunately gets involved to render the whole play useless.
77 min: Graham might as well put the chip kick through but guess who is back there, Chris Sandow.
77 min: Graham might as well put the chip kick through but guess who is back there, Chris Sandow.
78 min: Sandow puts it high in the air and it's taken from Wright but he's pushed in goal.
80 min: TRY
Nathan Merritt is the last try specialist, Luke goes from dummy-half hands it to Peats who juggles the ball but throughs it to Merritt who scores his 99th try for South Sydney. Sandow ends his night perfectly with another successful conversion.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 31-12