Rugby League Roundup: British Standouts Shine in NRL Round 14

BBC Sport, 2024

The 14th round of the NRL season has concluded, and several British players made their mark, including England internationals Kai Pearce-Paul and Tom Burgess.

Brits Down Under, a weekly feature here at Love Rugby League, takes a closer look at how the NRL’s British contingent performed this week. While the Dolphins, Sydney Roosters, and Canberra Raiders had byes, other teams featured some impressive displays from their UK-born stars.

South Sydney Rabbitohs prop Tom Burgess put in a dominant shift in his side’s 46-12 triumph over the Gold Coast Titans. The Dewsbury native racked up 149 meters from 14 carries, with 66 of those coming after initial contact. Burgess, who played 36 minutes off the bench, also made 21 tackles at an efficiency rate of 91 percent and even crossed the whitewash for a try.

Over at the Newcastle Knights, Kai Pearce-Paul, the former Wigan Warriors standout, logged another 80 minutes despite his team falling 36-28 to the Melbourne Storm. The Londoner produced a workmanlike performance, making 35 tackles at 89 percent efficiency – one of only four Knights players to reach that mark. Pearce-Paul also chipped in with 66 meters from eight carries, an assist, and two tackle breaks, though he was placed on report late in the first half.

Elsewhere, Bulldogs prop Max King, born in Huddersfield, enjoyed a solid outing in his side’s 22-18 victory over the Parramatta Eels. King played 55 minutes, making 115 meters from 11 runs and 34 tackles.

The full Round 14 results are as follows:

1. St George Illawarra 56-14 Wests Tigers
2. Gold Coast 12-46 South Sydney
3. North Queensland 12-42 New Zealand
4. Brisbane 12-22 Cronulla
5. Melbourne 36-28 Newcastle
6. Penrith 32-22 Manly
7. Canterbury 22-18 Parramatta

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