2021 NRL – South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Sydney Roosters Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Sydney Roosters taking place? Friday 26th March, 2021 – 09:05 (UK)
Where is South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Sydney Roosters taking place? ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Where can I get tickets for South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Sydney Roosters? Click here for ticket information on 2021 NRL matches
What channel is South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Sydney Roosters on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Sydney Roosters? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
THE TEAM NEWS
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Starting 13: Mitchell, Johnston, Gagai, Graham, Mansour, Walker, Reynolds, Burgess, Cook, Tatola, Koloamatangi, Su’A, Murray – Interchanges: Marshall, Nicholls, Mago, Arrow – Reserves: Host, Marsters
Unavailable: Hame Sele (Injured), Blake Taaffe (Injured), Taane Milne (Injured), Braidon Burns (Injured), Jed Cartwright (Injured), Brock Gardner (Injured), Liam Knight (Injured) Jaxson Paulo (Injured)
- South Sydney Rabbitohs earned their first win of the campaign as they proved to be too good for Manly Sea Eagles in terrible conditions last week and they will be full of confidence ahead of this all-Sydney affair with their fierce rivals.
- The Rabbitohs were on top for most of the game but failed to pull away until late on with the conditions proving to be a real leveller with Souths completing at just 73%, leaving them with a completion rate through two games at 68% which is the joint-lowest in the NRL.
- After dropping Josh Mansour for last week's game, the former Penrith man has been handed an immediate reprieve with Jaxson Paulo who is ruled out with a head knock in the only change to the team that overcame Manly.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Starting 13: Tedesco, Tupou, J. Morris, Manu, B. Morris, Lam, Keary, Collins, Lussick, Taukeiaho, Crichton, Tupouniua, Liu – Interchanges: Radley, Waerea-Hargreaves, N. Butcher, Suluka-Fifita – Reserves: Ikuvalu, Baker
Unavailable: Sam Verrills (Injured), Billy Smith (Injured), Boyd Cordner (Injured), Jake Friend (Injured), Adam Keighran (Injured)
- Sydney Roosters posted 40 points for the second week in succession as they blew Wests Tigers away last week and in what has been an eye-catching start to the season for Trent Robinson’s side, they will now get to really test their abilities in this clash.
- The Roosters have ran in 16 tries in their two games so far which is seven more than any other club at this early stage of the season while they have also managed more line breaks and metres than any other side in the competition.
- There is mixed news on the injury front with Jake Friend still out with concussion symptoms while his understudy Sam Verrills is still not quite ready to make his return from an ACL injury but Victory Radley will make his first appearance of the year following the same injury and having served a ban.
THE PREDICTION
Sydney Roosters have made a brilliant start to the campaign having amassed 86 points thanks to another big win last week. They proved to be far too good for Wests Tigers but in truth, the Roosters have not been given a real test yet so it will be interesting to see how they cope against a dangerous South Sydney Rabbitohs side. The rivals will do battle at ANZ Stadium in what promises to be a superb contest and the Tricolours will be eager to put last year’s horror show behind them after they were annihilated 60-8 in their last meeting. Trent Robinson’s side will have revenge on their mind and while this one could go either way, they can punish Souths who have failed to respect the ball sufficiently in their opening two clashes of the campaign.
