FULL TIME
As it happened: North Queensland Cowboys 16-42 Sydney Roosters in 2020 NRL
Full Time: NQ Cowboys 16-42 Sydney Roosters
After a tight first half, an incredible performance from Matt Ikuvala sees the Roosters finish the game as victors in North Queensland
Ryan Hall just can't score. He gets the ball on the right but the ball was just forwards
Only two minutes left and its been a great game to watch, although the Cowboys' weak defence has really shown
TRY FOR THE COWBOYS
Rhys Robson gets the ball over the line and scores another consolation try for North Queensland
It looked as if Tedesco was away but a penalty has been given
There are six minutes left, with the Cowboys now on double figures.
No team has conceded more points than the Cowboys this year
Unsuccessful conversion
The kick is missed
TRY COWBOYS
Hess manages to roll and get the ball over the line but it won't make much difference to the overall scoreline
Cowboys going forward now. 30 out
Cowboys have a set from their own line after the Roosters drag a tackled player
Just over ten minutes to go in the game. Are the Roosters done yet?
It's been a horror half for the Cowboys and the Roosters have averaged over a point a minute
Successful conversion
Flanagan adds the extras
Ikuvalu is the first person to score five tries for the Roosters since 1955
FIVE. HE'S DONE IT AGAIN
He only came in as a last minute replacement and he's got FIVE tries. Ikuvalu take a bow.
He latches onto a ball and gets it down inside of the dead ball line
Roosters have the ball at their own 30 and will start a set from there
Cowboys have a set restart from the 40
It looked like it would be a tight second half but its been the complete opposite, with the Roosters looking like scoring from every opportunity
Successful conversion
Flanagan converts again
TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
He's done it again! Ikuvalu has doubled his career try tally tonight and got four
Cowboys going forward inside of the final 20
Its all Roosters now and the visitors are playing incredibly good football
Roosters were close to getting another but its a great interception after a bad pass
The Roosters start another set from their try line
Successful conversion
It's a comfortable one and Kyle Flanagan gets his fourth conversion of the game
TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
It's another! Keary breaks through and makes it six tries in only twenty minutes
The game has been all Roosters after a first half in which the Cowboys dominated.
James Tedesco has been the main man for the visitors
Successful conversion
Kyle Flanagan adds the extras
TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Tedesco carves up the Cowboys defence and gets us first try-assist of the game, playing in Keary who gets the ball over the line
After a good early start for the Cowboys, the Roosters' excellence has shown and they're comfortably in front
Unsuccessful conversion
Once again, Flanagan can't add the extras
TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
The decision is that his heel has remained up and Ikuvalu has his hat-trick for today
It looks as if Ikuvalu has scored another but it will go to the bunker
Unsuccessful conversion
Kyle Flanagan just misses with his kick
TRY SYNDEY ROOSTERS
Ikuvalu manages to put the ball down just over the line from in the air
Latest news is that Valentine Holmes will not be back from his ankle injury
Cowboys kick forwards and it goes all the way, with the Roosters starting a set in their half now
Its the cowboys who gt us started with a set from inside of their own half
Second half underway
The second half has started
Half time: North Queensland Cowboys 6-12 Sydney Roosters
The Roosters lead at half time after Tupouniua's try
Tedesco picks it up and sprints forward but is stopped
Roosters make another error and its a scrum 20 metres out
Successful conversion
Flanagan adds another 2
TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Tupouniua puts he roosters in front, breaking through the Cowboys defence and getting the ball down next to the sticks
The Roosters have got back into the game and are holding off the cowboys well
Jake Friend is now out for the evening through injury
Kyle Flanagan adds the extras and the scores are equal
TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Its a good pass out to the right and Ikuvalu comfortably gets it down into the corner
Ten minutes left in the first half
A very shocking miss, the Cowboys penalty cannons off the post from only ten yards out
This time, they will go for goal
The Cowboys have another penalty after a tackle above the neck
Penalty for the Cowboys a few metres from the line
Its not what many would have expected, but the Cowboys have played very well so far and have really dominated
Holmes is limping on the pitch, with what looks to be an ankle injury
Successful conversion
Feldt adds the extras
Decision: TRY
The Cowboys go four up, scoring the first try of the night
TRY FOR THE COWBOYS
Robson gets the ball past the post, has he got it over the line? It's going to the bunker
19 minutes gone and still no score but its been an end-to-end game. The Cowboys have had the majority of possession
Roosters drop the ball going forward and the Cowboys now have a set going forward. 20 metres out
Cowboys lack the composure in front of the line and one of their players drops the ball 10 metres out
13 minutes gone now and its been a good game so far.
Cowboys force a line dropout at the other end
Its a good catch from Holmes and he's kept the ball in the field of play for the Roosters who start from their try line
10 minutes gone and the Cowboys have had most of the play. Roosters come forward and are just stopped at the try line
Set restart for the cowboys at the 40
No Try
The Cowboys have the ball over the line, but an offside is given by the bunker and it's no try
Roosters are going forwards well. Jake Friend tries to kick for himself but just can't get to the ball before it goes out
Cowboys give away a penalty inside of the Roosters' 20 and they will start from 40 after kicking forwards
Roosters kick forward from inside their forty all the way to the Cowboys' 20
Four minutes gone and the Cowboys have struggled to gain many metres so far
Long kick up early from Flanagan and the Cowboys start a set inside of their own 10
One of the few sides to beat the Roosters last year, is there any chance that the Cowboys can do the same tonight?
Kickoff!
We're underway at the Queensland County Bank Stadium
Five minutes to go
Kickoff's fast approaching for Cowboys vs Roosters. Stay tuned for LIVE updates of today's NRL match
Roosters star ruled out
Sydney Roosters star winger Brett Morris has been ruled out in the warm-up of today's game against the Cowboys
15 minutes to go!
There's a quarter of an hour to go until kickoff for today's game
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Sydney Roosters: Team News
Starting 13: Tedesco, Hall, J. Morris, Manu, B. Morris, Keary, Flanagan, Waerea-Hargreaves, Friend, Taukeiaho, Crichton, Aubusson, Butcher
Interchanges: Lam, Tupouinua, Faamausili, Collins
Reserves: Fifita, Ikavalu
Unavailable: Billy Smith (Injured), Victor Radley (Injured), Sam Verrills (Injured), Isaac Liu (Injured), Daniel Tupou (Injured), Boyd Cordner (Injured)
North Queensland Cowboys: Team News
Starting 13: Tabuai-Fidow, Feldt, Lemuelu, Marsters, Holmes, Drinkwater, Clifford, McGuire, Robson, Molo, Wright, Hess, Taumalolo
Interchanges: Hampton, Gilbert, Hola, Cooper
Reserves: Jensen, Granville
Unavailable: Michael Morgan (Injured), John Asiata (Injured), Mitchell Dunn (Injured), Jordan McLean (Injured), Justin O’Neill (Injured)
Can the Roosters keep up positive run
After tripping up in their first few games of the season, the Roosters have now embarked on a good run and are fifth in the ladder.
They have already defeated current top-place holders the Parramatta Eels and only narrowly lost to the Melbourne Storm in Round 8 in golden point.
Cowboys looking to climb the ladder
The NQ Cowboys currently sit in eleventh place in the ladder, with only six points.
Four off the bottom-place Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, they will be aiming to widen the buffer between themselves and the wooden spooners
Thursday's game is one where current World Champions the Sydney Roosters will be favourites, with the Cowboys having not impressed anywhere near as much this season
Cowboys vs Roosters will be played at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium, in Townsville, Australia. The kick-off is scheduled for 10:50 BST.
Welcome to VAVEL UK’s LIVE coverage of the 2020 NRL match: North Queensland Cowboys vs Sydney Roosters! My name is Adam Millington and I’ll be your host for this game. We will provide you with pre-game analysis, roster updates, and news as it happens live here on VAVEL.com