NRL LIVE: Eels battle back after Rabbitohs’ fast start

It’s been a big few minutes for Edward Kosi, who now snaps up an intercept from well inside his own half and charges upfield. For a winger, the 115kg Kosi possesses more power than pace, so he’s chased down by the time he reaches the Eels’ 30 metres.

But the Rabbitohs make use of this momentum, sending it right to Tallis Duncan who slices through himself after setting up Kosi a few moments earlier. Duncan has been arguably the Rabbitohs’ best tonight, as a second-rower shifting into the centres.

And now there’s some drama with the bunker taking a look at a possible eight-point try. Eels centre Sean Russell, while attempting a try-saving tackle on Duncan, strikes Duncan’s face with his boot, so he’s on report and the Rabbitohs will get a couple of shots at goal here. That looks accidental so he might not have a case to answer with the match review committee.

In any case, Latrell Siegwalt misses his first shot at goal badly so it’s only going to be a six-point try after all.

Rabbitohs 22, Eels 12 with 26 minutes left

A few errors from each side now, Brandon Smith forces a turnover with a big tackle on Kelma Tuilagi, and the Rabbitohs capitalise with a right-side shift, Tallis Duncan shrugging through a Josh Addo-Carr tackle then passing to winger Edward Kosi who scores in the corner.

Latrell Siegwalt has the first missed conversion attempt of the night, so it’s only a four-point Rabbitohs advantage. Don’t be surprised if the lead changes hands again once or twice tonight.

Rabbitohs 16, Eels 12 with 31 minutes left

Souths take no risks with their first set of the second half but Parramatta have a stronger first set which culminates in a Mitch Moses bomb – and Sean Russell beats Edward Kosi to bring it down, then offloads to Kitione Kautoga, who sends Tallyn Da Silva over for a try.

What a start. Suddenly this game is all square.

Eels 12, Rabbitohs 12 with 37 minutes left

The Eels create something out of nothing in their own half, Dylan Walker sending prop Luca Moretti through a yawning gap. Moretti isn’t sure what to do in such open space so finds Ronald Volkman, who is chased down and tackled by Ashton Ward.

Volkman gets a quick play-the-ball away, it’s the last tackle, and Tallyn Da Silva sends Isaiah Iongi into a couple of defenders – Iongi offloads, a couple of passes later the ball gets to Kitione Kautoga, and the second-rower takes it upon himself to put in a kick. He shouldn’t have. The ball travels well beyond the dead-ball line, with the Rabbitohs’ defence in a rabble and Mitch Moses raising his arms in anguish beside Kautoga. Gotta say that’s a bombed try-scoring opportunity.

And it’s the last chance of the first half. It’s been an entertaining one, if a little rusty from both sides at times. Souths looked sharp early on and defended well late in the half, while Parramatta have done well to fight their way back into this one.

Rabbitohs 12, Eels 6 at half-time

We’ve had four six-agains and a couple of penalties in the first third of this game, with the Eels getting back-to-back sets before and after their try – then threatening to score again before Mitch Moses drops a pass inside the Rabbitohs’ 20 metres.

Then Alex Johnston gives possession right back to Parramatta with a forward pass out of dummy-half, and the Bunnies find themselves under plenty of pressure camped on their own tryline.

A nice bomb from Moses is brought down by a leaping Tallis Duncan, but the Souths centre jumped from inside the field of play and is trapped in the in-goal so it’s a dropout – and yet another Eels set.

This time Parramatta almost score in the left corner through Sean Russell but he’s stopped by a superb ball-and-all tackle from Duncan. Two tackles later Moses puts down a poor pass from dummy-half and the Rabbitohs escape.

Rabbitohs 12, Eels 6 after 28 minutes

The Eels are on the board!

A bomb goes up from Ronald Volkman, Kelma Tuilagi leaps for it and bats the ball backwards to Mitch Moses, who loops a pass to Brian Kelly. The winger still has plenty to do but he does it brilliantly, stepping off his right foot once, twice, three times to cut inside Alex Johnston, Latrell Siegwalt and Jye Gray for an excellent try.

Moses converts and it’s back to a six-point game.

Rabbitohs 12, Eels 6 after 20 minutes