Rabbitohs overcome depleted Sharks

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SOUTH Sydney fans will be cheering today after the Bunnies pushed their way into the NRL top eight _ but make no mistake Michael Maguire's men still have some work to do before they can be rated a serious premiership force.

In a scrappy and lacklustre Monday night clash in Cronulla the Rabbitohs were never seriously under threat as they closed out a 18-0 shutout of the NRL's bottom placed team — the first time Souths had held an opponent scoreless since 1999.

South Sydney's Sam Burgess on his way to scoring a try. Source: News Corp Australia

But given the Sharks were without seven of their best including Origin stars Paul Gallen and Luke Lewis along with Andrew Fifita and Todd Carney and then lost another three before and during Monday night's encounter, the three tries to nil win won't go down as the Bunnies' most impressive performance of the season.

"We knew it was going to be a tough old game. Every time you come down here on a Monday night you end up in an arm wrestle and that is what it was tonight," Maguire said.

"They made it hard for themselves at times. I think we didn't complete five sets in a row there and we had to fight hard on our line.

South Sydney's Adam Reynolds opt for a grubber kick on the 5th tackle. Source: News Corp Australia

"But they are working really hard for each other and we know we need to be better than that from an attacking point of view but our defence held us up strong."

The Rabbitohs managed just one first half try to Sam Burgess to lead 8-0 at halftime before Kirisome Auva'a and Cameron McInnes added two more within six minutes midway through the second half to finally put the Sharks out of their misery — at least for another week.

"I think we are trying really hard," Cronulla coach Peter Sharp said.

"We are working hard at training. We just weren't good enough tonight and we are terribly busted as well.

A Sharks fan cheer for John Morris who played his 300th NRL game. Source: Getty Images

"And in conjunction with that we can't buy a trick off the ref so it just goes hand in hand."

But coming off last round's disappointing loss to Melbourne, Souths' fans can at least be thankful that the win pushes them to seventh on the table ahead of next Monday night's game against the under siege St George Illawarra.

For that match they should have Issac Luke back and the decision now for Maguire is what to do with Luke's two capable replacement's in Apisai Koroisau and McInnes who crossed for his first NRL try.

Koroisau also had another good game and produced a ripper of a shot on Sosaia Feki in the first half that led to Sam Burgess' opening try.

Cronulla's David Fifita leaves the field with an injury during warm up. Source: News Corp Australia

"I have got to make some tough decisions and the two young kids have been doing such a great job through that period when you lose such a good player like Issac," Maguire said.

"You want to make sure you have got some cover and we have shown that with these two young kids coming through."

The Sharks were far from disgraced but for all their effort they just didn't have the quality to match their star-studded opposition.

Cronulla had won their previous three games at home against the Bunnies but Souths were always going to be a massive assignment in veteran John Morris' 300th NRL game."

Cronulla's Sosaia Feki is wrapped up in a tackle by Souths' Sam Burgess. Source: News Corp Australia

Stand-in skipper Wade Graham summed up the feeling in the Sharks' camp in one word: "Frustrated. That's the word that sums it up.

The Sharks have the bye next and Sharp said Fifita was a good chance of returning for the following round against the Dragons.

Cronulla lost David Fifita during warm up while Siosaia Vave copped a knee injury from friendly fire when Koroisau whacked Feki and Ricky Leutele was another casualty.

Luke Burgess also had another strong game for the Rabbitohs up front but the major concern relates to their spluttering attack.

Jeff Robson is tackled by Sam Burgess. Source: Getty Images

With Greg Inglis, Chris McQueen and Ben Te'o missing due to Origin, Monday night's performance was still a long way short of where most expected Souths to be right now.

While Souths' scrambling defence saved them on numerous occasions the fact the severely depleted Sharks were still in the contest midway through the second half told the story of how the Bunnies' attack is still missing the creativity that is going to worry the best teams.

South Sydney's Kirisome Auva'a celebrates after scoring a try. Source: News Corp Australia

SOUTH SYDNEY 18 (K Auva'a S Burgess C McInnes tries A Reynolds 3 goals) bt CRONULLA 0 at Remondis Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Grant Atkins. Crowd: 8,137

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Blues not ready for Cauldon: Thurston

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JOHNATHAN Thurston has warned NSW scrumbase rivals Josh Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson no amount of club football can prepare them for an Origin baptism at Suncorp Stadium.

Queensland skipper Cameron Smith revealed on Monday how pressuring the Blues' debutant halves would be a key plank in their blueprint for success in Origin I.

Reynolds and Hodkinson have been outstanding for the Bulldogs, but their nerves will be tested confronting the hostility of 50,000 Maroons fans in the code's toughest arena.

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Maroons playmaking great Darren Lockyer says Origin debuts are all about "survival''.

GALLEN LAUGHS OFF WALLY'S OUTRAGE

While acknowledging the pair's club form and self-belief, Thurston insists Reynolds and Hodkinson will not understand the intensity of Origin until they are in the thick of it.

"It's going to be tough for them, no doubt about that,'' said Thurston, who will play his 28th consecutive Origin game on Wednesday.

Thurston has warned the Blues that club form doesn't equate to Origin quality. Source: Getty Images

"They are playing some really good football at the Dogs, but in saying that, State of Origin is a whole new ball game.

"We need to pressure them. They are confident in their ability so they probably won't be nervous, they will be looking forward to the challenge.

"But Origin ... it's a different level and they will come to see on Wednesday night what it's like.''

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Since Queensland's winning streak began in 2006, the Blues have experimented with 17 playmakers to break the Maroons' Origin stranglehold.

ORIGIN HATRED LIVES ON: SMITH

Five players — Mark Gasnier, Jarrod Mullen, Craig Gower, Jamie Lyon and Terry Campese — played just one game at the NSW scrumbase.

Reynolds and Hodkinson plan to avert becoming one-hit wonders, but Smith says the duo will not get a minute's respite.

The Blues are hoping to capture Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds's Bulldogs form. Source: News Corp Australia

"It's a big jump (from club football) — it's faster,'' he said.

"It's more physical for the entire 80 minutes, it's not a case of sort each other out the first 20 (minutes) and then it dies off a bit.

"It's flat out from the first whistle to the last whistle.''

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Smith said Queensland's experienced halves pairing of Thurston and Cooper Cronk gave the Maroons an edge over the rookie Blues shot-callers.

"It could be a difference but at the end of the day, it's up to us to try and minimise what they (Reynolds and Hodkinson) do in the game,'' Smith said.

"Hodkinson is coming to his first match so that's an opportunity for us to test him out and see how he handles it.

"Reynolds is quite an X-factor, he plays with a lot of energy and Hodkinson is a guy that steadies the ship.

"He doesn't get flustered at all, so we need to try and apply pressure to them as a team.''

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Socceroos draw 1-1 with South Africa

Tim Cahill of Australia celebtrates scoring a goal during the International Friendly match between the Australian Socceroos and South Africa at ANZ Stadium. Source: Mark Nolan / Getty Images

AUSTRLIA heads off to Brazil after a 1-1 draw with South Africa in the international friendly at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

The Socceroos got off to a blistering start but conceded a goal against the run of play, with Ayanda Patosi curling an effort past Mat Ryan.

Tim Cahill returned serve immediately for the hosts, who marched down the other end via Tommy Oar, the country's best on the night. Cahill lept, has he has so often before, to prod the ball home.

An anti-climactic and disjointed second-half will raise a few concerns for Ange Postecoglou, who will have plenty to digest from this display before trimming his squad to 23.

Re-live all the action from the game in our blog below.

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Cipriani named in England side

Back in ... Danny Cipriani has got his first call-up to the English Rugby union team in six years. Source: News Limited

DANNY Cipriani has received his first England call-up in six years when coach Stuart Lancaster named his initial 30-man squad on Monday for next month's three-Test tour of New Zealand.

Meanwhile Worcester full-back Chris Pennell, the son of the late England cricketer Graham Dilley, was one of seven uncapped players selected by Lancaster.

Gloucester centre Henry Trinder, Leicester lock Ed Slater and the front-row quartet of Kieran Brookes, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Gray and Dave Ward complete the uncapped group.

An additional group of players for the tour will be announced following the Premiership final between Saracens and Northampton at Twickenham on Saturday.

The much-criticised timing of that fixture means players from those clubs will be unavailable for the first Test against the world champion All Blacks in Auckland on June 7 as they will have insufficient time to recover for the series opener.

Cipriani, once the golden boy of English rugby, won the last of his seven caps in 2008 but has been included in the back of a fine season at Sale, where he helped the northwest side to a sixth-placed finish in the Premiership.

Saracens' Owen Farrell is England's current fly-half. Already ruled out of the first Test because of the Premiership final, doubts about his availability for the rest of the tour were raised when he damaged an ankle tripping over TV wires while warming up for the London club's European Cup final defeat by Toulon in Cardiff on Saturday.

English boy ... Danny Cipriani of England is tackled by Shane Horgan of Ireland during the RBS 6 Nations Championship match between England and Ireland at Twickenham on March 15, 2008. Source: Getty Images

And George Ford, Farrell's England deputy, has also been sidelined as he is due to undergo shoulder surgery following Bath's 30-16 European Challenge Cup final defeat by Northampton at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday.

Meanwhile Saracens and England prop Mako Vunipola left the Millennium Stadium on crutches following star-studded French side Toulon's 23-6 victory.

Lancaster is also sweating on the fitness of first-choice hooker Dylan Hartley, with the New Zealand-born forward struggling to be fit following a shoulder problem for the Premiership final.

Wasps back-row James Haskell has also been included for the first time since the 2013 Six Nations.

"We are excited about the squad we are taking to New Zealand and, while there continues to be challenges in selection, we will be well and truly ready for the first Test," said Lancaster.

"It has been a good few days' training and great to be able to work with a larger group of players in the lead up to the Barbarians game and the tour.

"As is often the case there are some players unavailable through injury and it is a shame that recently both George Ford (Bath Rugby) and Anthony Allen (Leicester Tigers) have had to withdraw due to shoulder and knee injuries sustained towards the end of the season."

Done the rounds ... Danny Cipriani during his stint with the Melbourne Rebels. Source: News Limited

Even with a full squad, England faced a daunting task in trying to add to a total of just two wins in 12 Tests in New Zealand, their rare successes coming in 1973 and their World Cup-winning year of 2003.

"I think it's ridiculous," Northampton and England flanker Tom Wood has said of the fixture clash.

"You should be doing the best you can for your club and playing yourself into contention for your country. The two should never be in conflict."

England's last two trips to New Zealand both created unsavoury headlines, with several England players caught up in a sex scandal in 2008.

And three years later a poor World Cup on the field was compounded by pictures of an alcohol-fuelled night out involving dwarf-tossing games in a Queenstown bar while, following the team's quarter-final exit, Manu Tuilagi was sanctioned after diving off a ferry into an Auckland harbour.

But England, the hosts of next year's World Cup, have competed strongly against New Zealand in their two most recent Tests with the All Blacks.

They beat the world champions 38-21 at Twickenham in 2012 before pushing them hard in a 30-22 loss at 'headquarters' a year later.

Prior to the tour, an England XV will play the invitational Barbarians in a non-cap international at Twickenham on Sunday.

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Djokovic blitzes French first round

Competitive ... Serbia's Novak Djokovic (pictured) hits a return to Portugal's Joao Sousa during their French tennis Open first round match. Picture: AFP Source: MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP

SECOND seed Novak Djokovic has opened his bid for a maiden French Open title with a 6-1 6-2 6-4 first round win over Joao Sousa.

The six-time Grand Slam winner is only missing the Roland Garros title to complete his set of all four majors and began in style with a confident showing on the Philippe Chatrier centre court.

During a match interrupted by rain, the 27-year-old Serb was at his charismatic best on and off the court as he even had time to chat extensively with a ball boy during a brief rain delay.

He offered the young lad a drink and clinked bottles with him as the crowd roared their approval.

On the court, Portugal's Sousa, ranked 42 in the world and a French Open best of reaching the second round last year, was outclassed on Monday by Djokovic's all around game.

The Belgrade native, who is coming off a stellar showing in Rome where he defeated Rafael Nadal, following earlier victories in 2014 at Indian Wells and Miami, converted eight of 15 break points.

He also rained down eight aces behind a first serve percentage of just under 70 per cent in a match that lasted 1hr 46 minutes.

The former world number one now faces French hope Jeremy Chardy for a place in the last 32.

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