NRL: Warriors hold out Rabbitohs

The Warriors climb up to the NRL top-eight with a 26-24 victory over the Rabbitohs. Photo / Getty Images

An injury-hit New Zealand Warriors held out against South Sydney in Auckland today to grab a 26-24 victory and retain their place in the National Rugby League top-eight.

In a season in which many of their frontline players have spent time on the sidelines, the Warriors ended the match without halfback James Maloney and prop Sam Rapira.

Maloney left the field in the first half, while Rapira, the club's most consistent performer this year, limped off early in the second.

Neither came back, leaving the Warriors with a two-man bench for most of the second spell, but they showed plenty of resilience to keep Souths out over the closing stages.

The home side began the match with plenty of tempo and fullback Lance Hohaia brought the crowd alive in the opening minute with an incisive break.

That move came to nothing but shortly after Hohaia celebrated his 150th appearance for his only NRL club by slipping through a gap to score.

The Warriors were dominating the early possession but then conceded a try against the run of play.

Centre Jerome Ropati lost the ball when hit by impressive hard-tackling Englisman Sam Burgess and from the turnover centre Colin Best slid over by the posts.

The Warriors struck back after an accurate bomb by halfback Brett Seymour was reined in by centre Brent Tate, who dotted down.

But they then fell to a soft try when the Rabbitohs attacked down the side of the field where an injured Maloney was on the ground and Auckland-born winger Fetuli Talanoa strolled over.

Up 12-10, Souths went further ahead when Kiwis hooker Issac Luke, who had already made a couple of dangerous runs, broke downfield and set up fullback Rhys Wesser for a try.

Luke landed his third conversion to take his side to an 18-10 lead, but the Warriors closed the margin to four points right at the end of the half.

With the clock counting down, they managed to keep the ball alive for Ropati to cross just after the hooter went.

Ropati got his second try early in the second half when the Warriors again kept the ball alive, this time in a final-tackle play.

When it seemed the move was going to die, the centre found a big hole to go through and score.

From the kickoff, the Warriors worked the ball downfield and grabbed another try as prop Russell Packer forced his way over.

But Souths set up a tense finish when a big break by halfback Chris Sandow was finished off by Talanoa, and Luke's conversion reduced the gap two points with 11 minutes to go.

With Burgess prominent, Souths threatened to hit the front but winger Kevin Locke pulled off a try-saving tackle on Wesser.

New Zealand Warriors 26 (Jerome Ropati 2 Lance Hohaia, Brent Tate, Russell Packer tries; Brett Seymour 3 goals) South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 (Fetuli Talanoa 2, Colin Best, Rhys Wesser tries; Issac Luke 4 goals). Halftime: 14-18

- NZPA