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'Victim' of huge Jorge Taufua hits wants 'rib cage' returned

Andrew Reid

Rabbitohs forward Ethan Lowe will be licking his wounds after feeling the wrath of the NRL's hardest hitter, not once but twice in quick succession.

Manly lost the match against the Rabbitohs in a controversial 34-26 semi-final defeat on Friday night.

But Sea Eagles winger Jorge Taufua won the battle against South Sydney forward Lowe.

The big-hitting Manly flyer made headlines around the world earlier in the month after an enormous shot on Melbourne's Cameron Munster.

On Friday night, Taufua was up to his old tricks, with Lowe the unfortunate victim of his latest brutality.

The first vicious tackle on the Bunnies forward came midway through the second half when the Sea Eagles held a 26-20 lead.

Jorge Taufua smashed Ethan Lowe twice in Manly's semi-final defeat to the Rabbitohs.
Jorge Taufua pulverised Ethan Lowe in Manly's semi-final defeat to the Rabbitohs. Pic: Getty

Jorge Taufua pulverised Ethan Lowe in Manly's semi-final defeat to the Rabbitohs. Pic: Getty

Taufua came flying off the defensive line to shut down the threat from the Rabbitohs after the hosts had shifted the ball wide.

The Manly winger picked his target and hit hard, snapping Lowe in a rib-tickling hit that flung the forward to the ground.

Lightning struck for Lowe minutes later when Taufua again came off his wing and the hapless Souths forward was cut down trying to get an offload away.

The Twittersphere was sent into a frenzy over Taufua's latest additions to his bone-rattling showreel.

Brad Fittler interviewed Lowe on Channel Nine after the game to ask the forward how he was feeling.

To Lowe's credit, he was quick to poke fun at his own misfortune.

"If you find a rib cage out there, can I have it returned please?" Lowe joked in reference to Taufua's crunching tackles.

Rabbitohs come through drama-filled thriller

South Sydney are one win away from just their second NRL grand final in 48 years after knocking Manly out in the controversial 34-26 semi-final victory.

In a dramatic night at ANZ Stadium, Manly coach Des Hasler claimed his team was "dudded" as the Rabbitohs came from behind late to claim the win on Friday.

Down 26-20 and all at sea with 13 minutes to go, the Rabbitohs gained the ascendancy when Manly lock Jake Trbojevic was sin-binned for pulling back on centre Dane Gagai.

Souths then swung the match quickly in their direction, scoring two tries in their next three sets to keep their season alive and set up a date with Canberra in the nation's capital.

"With 20 minutes to go, I'm in pre-season next year, (wondering) what I got to do with these guys," coach Wayne Bennett said.

"My season's over, I'm feeling like we're not going to be at training on Monday.

"Twenty minutes later, we're sitting here going to Canberra.

"They just like to seem to get behind, put themselves in a hell of a lot of pressure, and then they'll start to make a few things happen."

With AAP