State of Origin as-it-happened

Johns, playing his second match since returning from injury, gave a masterclass at half-back.

Tries from Brad Thorn and Billy Slater gave Queensland a 12-8 half-time lead.

But scores from Anthony Minichiello, Matt Cooper, Steve Menzies and Danny Buderus took NSW clear and set up a final-match decider.

Minichiello gave NSW an early lead after his opportunistic early try.

Johns' inch-perfect kick through bounced off the posts and the full-back simply slid over as the line as the Queensland defence dithered.

A penalty from Craig Fitzgibbon extended NSW's lead, but Queensland soon hit back through Thorn.

The giant prop - a former second-row rugby union international for the All Blacks - outjumped the opposition after Darren Lockyer had put in a testing kick.

Billy Slater dives over for Queensland's second try

NSW made a big improvement from their showing in the first match, with their kicking game in particular looking significantly sharper.

But it was from a NSW mistake on 33 minutes that Queensland took the lead, with Slater snatching a loose ball to race the length of the pitch.

The home side continued to press the Queensland line for the rest of the half but often panicked on the final pass and went in trailing by four points.

The second half started badly for NSW with Ben Kennedy being dragged into touch straight from the kick-off.

But a reprieve soon after, when Ty Williams' try for Queensland was ruled out for a debatable forward pass, proved a turning point.

The job's not over yet NSW's Andrew Johns

A 40-20 kick from Johns relieved the pressure and shortly after his link-up play with half-back partner Braith Anasta put Minichiello over for his second of the match.

Johns kicked the conversion - the first of three - to open up a narrow 14-12 lead.

NSW took advantage of a tiring Queensland defence, with e Menzies diving over on the right soon after.

The inspired Johns continued to exhaust the Queensland defence with a series of breaks and incisive passes.

The pressure eventually told and a brilliant try for centre Cooper took NSW clear.

Queensland never gave up, but late scores for Matt Bowen and Petero Civoniceva were little more than consolation.

The series will be decided in game three at the Suncorp Stadium on 6 July.

New South Wales: Minichiello, King, Gasnier, Cooper, Rooney, Anasta, Johns, Ryles, Buderus, Bailey, Hindmarsh, Fitzgibbon, Kennedy.
Replacements: Wing, Ryan, Menzies, Simpson.

Queensland: Slater, Williams, Berrigan, Bowman, Sing, Lockyer, Thurston, Civoniceva, Smith, Thorn, Crocker, Webb, Flannery.
Replacements: Ross, Carlaw, McGuire, Bowen.