The North came back from 8-20 down to record a sixth successive win over the South in the annual University Rugby League Origin Game.

South started strongly with Charlie McCurrie’s powerful try converted by Sam Hughes, but it was not long before Cameron Brown moved the North off the mark, although Jack Quinn couldn’t find his mark in the swirling winds.

Ben Gray moved the South further ahead as he crashed onto a flat pass, with Joseph Heaton unable to add the extras to push the North into the lead, but it was short lived as Ben Thewlis sliced through the defenders from 30 metres out to nose the South ahead, with Hughes again on target with the boot and a dream end to the second half for the Blues came in the shape of Jack Cherry’s 39th minute try as he dived into the corner to put South ahead 8-16 at the break.

South looked dominant in the second half as Michael Holden was first to score 12 minutes into the second half, but it only served to kick the North into gear as AJ Towse completed a perfect winger’s try and Adam Lavin pounced on a loose ball, with Jack Quinn converting both to equalise.

From then on it was all North, with Leon Stewart scoring straight from the kick off, Max Flanagan burrowing in at short range and Cameron Brown backing up Harry Tulson’s break, with Quinn improving two of them to make it 36-20 to the North.

That's a wrap! North come from behind to take the spoils!

North 36 vs South 20#EnglandUnisRL pic.twitter.com/gAcNp22zvx

— England Universities Rugby League 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏉 (@EnglandUnisRL) February 6, 2022

North: Jack Quinn, Cameron Brown, Sean Croston, Leon Stewart, Alex Fitzhenry, Joseph Heaton, Joe Riley, Ben Bradshaw, Kellen Wood, Nathan Newbound, Sam Eyres, Jed Charlton, Jack Earl. Interchanges: Matty Rudd, Elliott Jones, Max Flanagan, AJ Towse, Ben Gray, Adam Lavin, Harry Trulson.

Tries: Cameron Brown (10, 75), Ben Gray (27), AJ Towse (56), Adam Lavin (63), Leon Stewart (65), Max Flanagan (72)

Goals: Jack Quinn 4/6, Joseph Heaton 0/1

Sin Bin – (77) Jed Charlton – Late Challenge

South: Ben Thewlis, Michael Holden, Jack Cherry, Ted Davidson, Henry Symonds, Sam Hughes, Ben Edwards, Chris Gale, Ben Littlewood, Delaine Gittens, Charlie McCurrie, Luciano Bejandze, Joe Hunter. Interchanges: Owen Priest, David Bofenda, Ben Fosket, Alex Boag, Josh Struttle, Ed Brown, Tom Mitchell.

Tries: Charlie McCurrie (5), Ben Thewlis (31), Jack Cherry (39), Michael Holden (52)

Goals: Sam Hughes 2/4

Referee: James Collins (Leicester)