Jake Clifford has put on a clinic as under 20s Maroons brush NSW aside

HALFBACK Jake Clifford has put on a masterful display to help the under 20s Maroons to an authoritative 30-12 win over NSW tonight.

Clifford looked dangerous with every touch of the ball but it was two moments of individual brilliance that make it clear why the Cowboys are so excited about the 20-year-old Tully Tigers product born in Cairns.

Ten minutes in, after a prolonged arm-wrestle in which both sides struggled to hold onto the pill in the slippery conditions, Clifford took the line on himself.

Looking to his right with the ball out in front he went to the Blues defenders and threw a huge dummy to slice through and open the scoring.

After hard-running Maroons lock Corey Horsburgh burst onto a beautifully timed cut-out from hooker Harry Grant to cancel out the acrobatic finish from Blues winger Brian Too, the Maroons only had a six-point lead at the break.

So once again Clifford took the game on. And in a moment of deja vu for the Northern Pride playmaker, he got on the outside of his opposite half with blinding acceleration and threw another dummy to score his second and give his side the ascendancy.

It prompted Steve Roach in the commentary box to implore the Cowboys to play the young pivot alongside Johnathan Thurston for the rest of the year.

With the North Queenslanders no longer in contention for the top eight, the former Kangaroo sees it as the perfect opportunity for Clifford to learn from one of the game’s greatest at the top level.

When he wasn’t scoring, he was creating overlaps, chasing his own kicks and making good contact in defence.

On the back of his and AJ Brimson’s direction, QLD — coached by Justin Hodges — careered away in the second stanza with tries to centre Kurt Wiltshere and Tristan Sailor.

In another string to his bow, their man of the match kicked five from five.

NSW scored a consolation try through Billy Smith at the death, but the Maroons secured their first win in the under 20s Origin since it began in 2012.

QUEENSLAND U20: 30 (Jake Clifford 2, Corey Horsburgh, Kurt Wilshire, Tristan Sailor tries; Jake Clifford 5 goals) def NEW SOUTH WALES U20: 12 (Brian Too, Billy Smith tries; Kyle Flanagan 2 goals) at Suncorp Stadium.