Official Welcome – from RFL President Clare Balding
I’d like to welcome you all to the the ultimate showcase of Women’s Rugby League. After the hiatus last year, it is even more precious to be able to celebrate both the Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final and the Shield Final. I am a firm believer in the power of sport to change lives and to inspire those far beyond the field of play and as we struggle in society to properly reward and respect women’s roles, I think it is even more powerful to see women playing as a strong team, being brave, competitive, athletic, agile and supportive to each other.
Many congratulations to Featherstone Rovers and to Huddersfield Giants who will contest the Shield Final and I’d like particularly to pay tribute to the remarkable Andrea Dobson, a legend of the game, who I know will give her all in her final match for Fev. Andrea has been crucial to the development of the women’s game and has always led by example. She will be a huge asset as the Rugby League Development Officer for the city of Sheffield.
It has been such a challenge in the sport to regain the momentum that was building before Covid brought everything to a standstill and I want to pay credit to the commitment of the players, their ability to be flexible and resilient and for the hard work of so many behind the scenes who have become experts in testing, protecting and forensic cleaning.
Women’s Rugby League has an opportunity now to go beyond even our most optimistic forecasts of growth and recognition as we build towards next year’s Rugby League World Cup and plan for the years beyond it. Television is key to the development of the game and gives us a chance to show what the game has to offer. Thank you to Sky for their expanding coverage and for bringing today’s showcase into the homes of millions of people today.
The combination of Sky and the BBC, who showed St Helens winning the Challenge Cup on BBC2, is crucial to the profile and development of the game. Celebrating success and having pride in our players is vital in increasing financial investment in the game and drawing the attention of potential sponsors but it also provides the chance to reach girls all over the country and their parents who may not have considered Rugby League as a sporting option. We thank Sky for their coverage today and their understanding of the power they have to help our players become more familiar faces across the media.
You will see many of our international stars on show today and the England players can look forward to an international against France on October 23rd in a double header with the men’s team. Wales is rapidly developing the women’s game and it was encouraging to see Cardiff Demons win the first Women’s Super League South. We look forward to more England vs Wales matches as we saw at the National Lottery International.
So to today’s Grand Final teams. St Helens have dominated the season and have been playing superb rugby. Their captain Jodie Cunningham is the 2021 Woman of Steel and she has led her team to their first major trophies with a Challenge Cup triumph against York City Knights (who deserve huge credit for a breakthrough season) and the League Leaders Shield. Cunningham and her team-mates are hungry for more.
Leeds Rhinos are the big match specialists with the experience of Grand Final and Challenge Cup victories in 2019. This is their third consecutive Grand Final but a first here at Emerald Headingley and they will be determined to do themselves proud on their home ground. They came back from a 10 point deficit to beat York in a tough semi-final and have only had one defeat this season, at the hands of Saints.
This is the ultimate heavyweight showdown between the best two clubs in the country and I can’t wait to see what they have to offer.
The players and the coaches have coped with an awful lot over the past year and a half and I know that there are many in the crowd who have supported them along the way so I wanted to thank you, the support team in the stands for everything you have done to make this double header possible and to empower the players to do what they love.
As we continue to work towards a professional sport, we will see women on the pitch today who are still combining many tasks. They are mothers, teachers, nurses, engineers, students, charity workers and business experts. Today they will focus on just one thing: the magical sport of Rugby League. Full power to them and let’s get this show on the road!
