RABBITOHS 44
BRONCOS 12
A try-hungry South Sydney embarrassed Brisbane in the first game of the NRL's Suncorp Stadium double header last night.
It was the Rabbitohs' first win in Brisbane since they beat the defunct South Queensland Crushers in 1995, and it was their first victory over the Broncos in Brisbane since 1989.
South Sydney led 16-6 at half-time, and then ran riot in the second half, when centre Beau Champion led a points deluge by scoring three tries.
Souths fullback Nathan Merritt took his try tally to 13 for the season with a double.
Brisbane missed the leadership of five-eighth Darren Lockyer, out with an injured knee, and were also without star winger Israel Folau, sidelined with a broken ankle.
But even taking these losses into account, the performance they produced would be a worry for coach Ivan Henjak.
The match was halted in the 66th minute when referee Tony De Las Heras was knocked unconscious and had to be taken from the field, and later to hospital.
Souths winger Jamie Simpson collided with De Las Heras, knocking him down.
As he tried to get to his feet, he was hit on the head by Tonie Carroll's knee as the Brisbane forward tried to hurdle him.
The early report from the medical room suggested he was not badly affected, but his condition worsened after the game and he was taken to hospital observation.
Video referee Tim Mander said De Las Heras took a heavy knock, and had a headaches and blurred vision.
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In the second game of the double-header, the Bulldogs withstood a second-half Titans revival to win 23-16.
At halftime, the Bulldogs were ahead 16-0, but three second-half tries, two to Matt Rogers, put the Titans back in contention until a Brett Kimmorley field goal 90 seconds from time put it beyond them.
- AAP