Rugby League

Kevin Locke of the Wakefield Wildcats, a European Super League rugby club, is among three players being investigated for allegedly stealing a car that belonged to the team's head coach, Brian Smith.

According to a report from NZHerald.com, Locke and Reece Lyne were in the car with Tim Smith when they crashed the vehicle into a wall.

"Smith has been bailed to appear before East Yorkshire Magistrates Court later this month," per the report. "Locke and outside-back Lyne are not facing police action, but were reportedly with Smith at the time, according to broadcaster Dan Ginnane."

According to BBC Sport, Smith has been "charged with failing to provide a sample for analysis and driving without due care and attention" following an unspecified incident.

Those three players were left off the roster for the Warriors' Super League Qualifiers match against Halifax amid the team conducting an internal investigation following Smith's charges.

Ginnane cited sources in the NZHerald.com story as saying, "Tim Smith...got on the drink, stole their coach Brian Smith's car and put it into a wall—this was the story I was told."

The report has not been confirmed. Locke is in his first season with Wakefield after previously spending time with the New Zealand Warriors and Salford Red Devils.

This year's State of Origin will require a Game 3 decider after New South Wales Blues beat Queensland Maroons 26-18 in Game 2 of the 2015 series on Wednesday.

A late try from full-back Josh Dugan saw Laurie Daley's side fend off a second-half comeback attempt from their bitter rivals to level the series, per the official National Rugby League Twitter account:

Having felt the sting of what it feels like to concede first in Game 1, the Blues made it their business to get off the line in far swifter fashion on Wednesday.

Last month, Cooper Cronk managed to open the scoring after 14 minutes, but Michael Jennings sliced through the Queensland defence to touch down after just four minutes this time around.

Trent Hodkinson added the extras to put New South Wales six points up following a smoothly worked transition through the back line and Jennings found it all too easy to lose his marker.

The Sydney Roosters' official Twitter account made sure to give its star his due praise:

Maroons five-eighth Johnathan Thurston had a tricky outing three weeks ago and was once again showing some signs of shakiness with the boot in midweek, but any nerves didn't last long as he eventually found his rhythm.

His interlinking play and injection of a straightened drive proved pivotal in seeing Matt Scott bulldoze his way to a Queensland equaliser under the posts, as shown by Wide World of Sports:

Thurston notched the conversion to tie the score at 6-6 before the game entered a frayed period, with both back lines going through periods of indecision and failing to find fluency through the hands.

Greg Inglis was one player Queensland might be expected to lean on in times of need, but the South Sydney Rabbitohs captain spent much of the first half out wide, evidently not at full fitness.

With passing passages hard to come by, Mitchell Pearce opted to lead with the boot with Josh Morris its recipient, although the Bulldogs star's try attempt was inspected upstairs following a debatable grounding.

Ultimately, the officials made the correct call as Morris' acrobatics paid off and the official New South Wales Twitter account showed Morris to have gotten his timing just right:

Once again, though, the fixture's tug-of-war dynamic was highlighted and the Blues proved incapable of holding their foes at arm's length when Inglis soared over for Queensland's second score.

In doing so, Souths star Inglis became the Maroons' all-time leading try-scorer in State of Origin history, as pointed out by the Rabbitohs' official Twitter account:

The NRL veteran seemed destined to break that record considering the drought that preceded Wednesday's outing, per OptaJason:

Hodkinson snuck in a 39th-minute penalty to give the Blues a 14-10 lead at the interval.

Some stern words from coach Mal Meninga appeared to take effect with Queensland, though, and after starting the first half as the quieter party, the Maroons surged back with a greater show of initiative after the restart.

Matt Gillett touched down under the posts with a 47th-minute converted try, smoothly followed up by a penalty from Thurston to give Meninga's men an 18-14 lead.

Blues front-rower Aaron Woods would not to be outdone by opposing prop Scott, however, and he levelled the scores with just under 20 minutes remaining, much to the pleasure of former Origin team-mate-turned-NFL running back Jarryd Hayne:

Having stuttered at the start of the second half, New South Wales now appeared to be in the ascendancy and Hodkinson's conversion established a 20-18 lead that could have been even more were it not for a controversial forward-pass decision.

Egged on by the thought of taking this year's series to a third-game decider, the Blues chased what looked likely to be a result-clinching fourth try, but Queensland held firm.

With the final whistle creeping within sight, New South Wales benefited from some good fortune as what looked like a forward pass to Dugan wasn't pulled up and the Blues found a game-clinching cushion.

Brett McKay of ESPN Scrum was among those to take note of the pass, but it was allowed to stand and an eight-point lead for Daley's side proved insurmountable for Queensland:

The reigning champions will be glad after posing much more of an attacking threat in Game 2 and mustering no fewer than four tries, but the Blues will be aware of the luck that came their way, too.

That being said, league fans the world over will rejoice at the thought of this year's State of Origin going to a decider on July 8 at Suncorp Stadium, with the Maroons looking to ensure the Blues' reign stops at the first juncture.

New South Wales will have to improve dramatically for Game 2 of the 2015 State of Origin on Wednesday at the MCG if they are going to take it to a third and deciding match.

The good news for the Blues after their 11-10 loss in the opening match is that there is plenty of room for improvement.

The slim margin of victory for the Maroons in Game 1 is testament to the Blues' immense defence, and they could very well pick up a victory if they stop with the numerous attacking mistakes.

It is no doubt set to be another brutal, tense encounter between the old foes. Read on for all the scheduling and television details ahead of the match in Melbourne.

Date: Wednesday, June 17

Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Time: 11 a.m. BST, 6 a.m. ET

Live Stream: NRL's live stream, Fox Sports (U.S.), Premier Player (UK)

Preview

As ever when it comes to the State of Origin, the buildup to Game 2 has not been short of a shot or two being fired.

Returning Blues skipper Paul Gallen accused the Maroons of "grubby" tactics in the first match and said his side will not stand for that in Melbourne, per ABC.net.au:

We have been used to their grubby tactics for years now. In game one I suppose the boys were a bit naive to think that some of the so-called angels of the game don't get up to any of it. I'm sure that none of the boys will take a backward step this time; they know what is coming and I'm sure Queensland do as well. We are not out there to fight, we are not out there to play dirty, we are out there to play hard and tough but we won't be taking any a backward step and if those tactics start to sneak into the game I'm sure our boys will adapt to that.

Gallen's return from injury, confirmed by NRL, should be a big boost for NSW, as it will help them to dominate in the forwards:

The @NSWRL Blues make 2 changes for #Origin 2: @PaulGallen13 & @bmozzle in, Fifita/Tupou out. http://t.co/RLIVj7OC1k pic.twitter.com/VeDv8xNo8T

— NRL (@NRL) June 8, 2015

Laurie Daley's side need to be more proactive in Game 2 and more clinical in their attacking plays.

They have the enormous incentive that a defeat in Melbourne would mean a series loss, and the mentality of having to come from behind could help the Blues.

The Blues defence is solid. Last year's series saw NSW wrap it up after two matches, having conceded just two tries and none in Game 2.

A similar effort will be needed in Melbourne in order for the Blues to prevail, and they must take their own chances to score when they get them.

Queensland have been rocked in the buildup to Game 2 by the injury to Cooper Cronk, and he is replaced by Daly Cherry-Evans, per Nine News Brisbane:

Cronk is an important part of Mal Meninga's team. His early try and late field goal were key to the single-point Game 1 win.

However, his absence should not be terminal for Queensland's chances in Game 2, as they have bags of quality.

Cherry-Evans is an imaginative and unpredictable player who could be the wild card Queensland need to inspire more creativity in their ranks.

Furthermore, the likes of Greg Inglis and Johnathan Thurston can be game-changers, and if they can break down the NSW defence, they should be heading to Brisbane for a celebration, not a decider, in Game 3.

Origin games are defined by their intensity, their ferocity and the fact that they are usually decided in just a matter of moments and by tiny margins.

Queensland look to have the players to turn the match in their favour, but if NSW are well-organised and disciplined, they could frustrate and prevail.

Another immense encounter is surely guaranteed in Melbourne, but whether a decider will be needed in Brisbane is anybody's guess.

Queensland Maroons seized an early advantage in the three-match State of Origin series on Wednesday, sampling an 11-10 win over New South Wales Blues in a tense game at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney.  

Cooper Cronk opened the scoring for the Maroons with an early try, but NSW pegged them back before half-time thanks to tries from Josh Morris and Beau Scott. A try from Quade Chambers got Queensland back on level terms, before a late drop goal from Cronk won it for the visitors.

The NRL Twitter account gave us a full breakdown of how these two sides had been faring ahead of this one:

As is often the case in these fiercely contested encounters, there was very little to separate the two teams in the opening exchanges. The defending from both was dynamic and purposeful, making it difficult for each team’s flair players to work their magic.

It was Queensland who settled first. They were able to force errors out of their NSW counterparts, pressuring kickers and moving the ball sharply. In the 13th minute, their early edge told, as Cronk conjured up some space, stepped inside Michael Jennings and went over.

As noted by Bleacher Report AUS, it was a score that had been coming:

Johnathan Thurston added the extra points, and the Maroons had a six-point lead. But the Blues came roaring back with distinction.

Morris got NSW back to within two points with an exceptional try. He capitalised on superb work from Josh Dugan to go over in the 20th minute, and although Trent Hodkinson missed the subsequent conversion, the Blues were back in this one.

As we can see here, it was an excellent score:

Buoyed by that try, things got event better for NSW just six minutes later. Scott barged his way through a couple of tackles to get to the line, and after clarification from the video referee, a try was awarded, much to the delight of the Sydney crowd.

This time, Hodkinson did add the conversion, giving NSW a 10-6 lead going into the break. As noted by OptaJason, a half-time lead has proved crucial in these encounters previously:

It was a break Queensland needed. They were under major pressure in the latter stages of the first period, but after the break, they came out replenished, moving the ball quicker and showing a measure of composure in their attempts to get back into the contest.

After 15 minutes of probing, the Maroons finally got their reward. Some mechanical passing from Queensland created space for Chambers down the right, and he did enough to get over in the corner. Thurston missed the conversion attempt, and with 25 minutes remaining, the scores were tied at 10-10.

As noted by Rugby League Week, the try aside, Chambers was having an impactful influence:

Will Chambers has made 19 runs for 205 metres. #Origin

— Rugby League Week (@LeagueWeek) May 27, 2015

Both sides were struggling for rhythm as the match wore on, and there was a festering sense that one moment was going to swing this one. It was Cronk who made the telling contribution with six minutes left on the clock, striking a drop goal between the sticks to give Queensland an 11-10 lead.

As we can see, courtesy of Wide World of Sports, it was a beauty of a strike:

Try as they might in the latter stages, every Blues attack was thwarted by the Maroons’ stringent defensive lines. Queensland held on for the win, sparking wild celebrations among the players.

Cronk was naturally delighted in the aftermath:

In terms of State of Origin wins, it doesn’t get much better than this for Queensland. Going to the home of your rivals and winning an arduous match with a late drop goal will be sweet, and they can go into the final two games with the pressure off.

By comparison, New South Wales know only a win will do at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the second match if they’re to keep this series alive.

The opening game of the 2015 State of Origin series will be a monumental collision as Queensland Maroons seek revenge against the New South Wales Blues.

The Blues won in 2014, per Nick Tedeschi of the Guardian, to end a run of eight successive series wins for the Maroons.

Blues coach Laurie Daley will expect another resolute performance from his players over the three-game series, starting with the opener at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney on Wednesday.

Daley’s Maroons counterpart Mal Meninga, meanwhile, will look to his experienced group of players to turn on the style.

Here is all the information you need on the opening game of the State of Origin series, including live stream info and a match preview:

Date: Wednesday, May 27

Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney

Time: 11 a.m. (BST)/6 a.m. (ET)

Live Stream: NRL's live stream/Fox Sports (U.S.)

Match Preview

Blues are not known for scoring lots of tries in recent series. In winning the series last year, NSW mustered just four tries in three games, per Tedeschi. The way they won the series was through dogged defence.

Captain Robbie Farah knows his team are going to have to produce the same again after winning the opening two games last year 12-8 and then 6-4, per Chris Kennedy of the NRL’s official website. Farah said, per Kennedy:

Last year's series – those games went down to the wire, we were defending our tryline over and over and I think that's what Origin football comes down to in the end. You can have all your fancy plays and you can train all you want but when times are tough out there and you've got to defend your line five or six sets in a row or the penalty count goes against you do you quit or do you keep going? That's what Origin footy is about.

Blues coach Daley has turned to a player who missed the 2014 series to guide his team’s attacking play.

Mitchell Pearce has previously struggled in Origin games and was overlooked in favour of Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds. However, Pearce has been drafted back into the squad and he has been backed to deliver by Jarryd Hayne.

Hayne was a try scorer in last year’s Series win, but the former Parramatta Eels winger is now in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. Hayne wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald:

He needs to realise that he belongs and remember why he is there and why Laurie believes in him and why I believe in him. He plays his best when he plays his natural game. As a halfback, he ticks all the boxes. He's a phenomenal athlete with a great kicking game, an incredible passing game and a strong defensive game.

The Maroons have had injury concerns in the build-up to the game, due to doubts over the fitness of Greg Inglis and Billy Slater, per Peter Badel of the Courier Mail.

That has forced Meninga to call up Dane Gagai as cover, but the Maroons' coach will expect to be at full strength.

Queensland have talent and experience in abundance, with Inglis and Slater joined in the squad by the likes of Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith.

Captain Smith will equal the mark of Allan Langer when he makes his 34th Origin appearance for the Maroons, per Badel.

The Maroons also have Michael Morgan primed for his debut off the bench after he was called up to replace Daly Cherry-Evans, per ABC.

The Blues have won the last three series openers and will again prove tough to beat, in both this match and the series itself.

But the Maroons will be wounded animals after their surprise defeat last year and, even though their key players are over 30, they are still in form. The combination of experience and ability will likely prove to be too much for the Blues.

Prediction: Maroons to win

New Zealand are officially the No. 1 ranked rugby league team on the planet, confirmed in Thursday's rankings from the Rugby League International Federation.

The Kiwis take the top place from Australia, having now beaten their neighbours in each of their past three meetings. Most recently, they triumphed over a full-strength Kangaroos team 26-12 in this year's Anzac Test, getting out to a big lead and then defending resolutely in the second half.

It is a sign of the times and an indication of how far New Zealand rugby league has come since their humiliating defeat in the 2013 World Cup final. Since that tournament, the team has unearthed a handful of young talents who have added to their squad and have proved difference-makers in recent times.

New Zealand are not the only ones making strides, though.

English rugby league is as strong as it has been in a long time right now, while the Pacific Island teams have improved immensely in recent years, too. While they are still a long way off catching up in the rankings, they are now at a level where they could threaten the Australians, particularly in the case of England.

A result of this has been that the NRL, Australia's premier competition, has become more highly populated with international players. In years gone by, this was not so much the case. Indeed, there was a time when a New Zealander playing in the NRL was a shoo-in to make the Kiwi team.

Nowadays, you have to be a good NRL player to win selection.

You get the sense that it is something that has lured Australia into a false sense of security. They find comfort in the fact that their premier league is the best in the world, while continuing to focus so heavily on State of Origin, rather than ensuring they remain in front of everyone else. Even before the most recent match, the majority of predictions from Australia reflected huge confidence in their team to get the job done.

The gap has been closing in recent years, although perhaps it has not been so evident if you just look at the results. New Zealand's player depth has steadily been improving, which also has contributed to Australia's depth decreasing.

It has long been claimed to be the major strength of Australian rugby league. If it truly is, now is the time to show it. The team needs some youthful spark, particularly in the forwards. Whether it actually is there is another thing. 

They need to find it, though, and sooner rather than later if they are to reclaim their title as world's best international rugby league nation.

South Sydney Rabbitohs hooker Issac Luke will return home to New Zealand in 2016, having been granted a release from his existing contract to sign a three-year deal with the New Zealand Warriors, as reported by Richard Becht on the Warriors' official website.

Luke, who has represented the Kiwis in 33 Tests, was quoted in Becht's article as saying that going home to play for the Warriors was something he had always wanted to do:

I’ve been away from home for a long time now and I really miss it. I’ve loved playing for the Rabbitohs. They’ve done so much for me, but I wanted to go back to New Zealand at some stage and I’m grateful they’ve allowed me to go. Going home to play for the Warriors has always been something I wanted to do. I know so many of the boys there and I also like what’s happening at the club since Jim has taken over.

The move is a significant one for the New Zealand-based franchise. It marks the second big-name Kiwi they have lured home in recent times, having secured the signature of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck earlier in the year.

Between those two men you have a pair of game-breakers and explosive ball-carriers who will excel with the fast-paced approach the Warriors take to the game.

Luke will fill the position currently occupied by the aging Nathan Friend and utility Thomas Leuluai. His speed off the mark from dummy-half will be important and will add a dimension the Warriors do not have in their current hookers.

There is arguably no hooker better in this department than Luke, and he rates up there alongside the best in the world, having outplayed opposite number Cameron Smith in last week's ANZAC Test. 

Luke has played 176 matches for the Rabbitohs, having been at the club since 2007.