Matt Ikuvalu scored five tries as Sydney Roosters’ second-half performance helped them saunter to a 42-16 win over North Queensland Cowboys.
North Queensland scored the opening try of the game when Reece Robson jumped from dummy half after Shane Wright had a try disallowed for offside.
The Cowboys continued to pressurise but errors at key times halted their progress. That allowed the Roosters to gain the lead at the break with two quick tries. A brilliant flick on from James Tedesco saw Matt Ikuvalu cross.
Then Sio Siua Taukeiaho’s break led to Sitili Tupouniua scoring next to the posts.
The second half was a right off from the Cowboys’ point of view. The Roosters scored six tries in the first 25 minutes of the half to completely take the game away from their hosts.
The Cowboys did manage to get two consolation tries late on. Coen Hess crashed over before Robson snared his second try.
Cowboys: Tabuai-Fidow, Feldt, Lemuelu, Marsters, Holmes, Drinkwater, Clifford, McGuire, Robson, Molo, Wright, Hess, Taumalolo; Interchanges: Hampton, Gilbert, Hola, Cooper
Tries: Robson 2, Hess; Goals: Feldt 2
Roosters: Tedesco, Hall, J Morris, Manu, Ikuvalu, Keary, Flanagan, Waerea-Hargreaves (pictured), Friend, Taukeiaho, Crichton, Aubusson, Butcher; Interchanges: Lam, Tupouniua, Faamausili, Collins
Tries: Ikuvalu 5, Tupouniua, Keary 2; Goals: Flanagan 5
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express