This weekend is set to be an action packed one in women’s rugby league. With Betfred Women’s Super League fixtures, as well as the nine’s competition on Sunday. Here is a look at what is to come across the weekend.
Group One
Thursday
Leeds Rhinos v Wigan Warriors – Live on Sky Sports – 5:30 PM
Leeds Rhinos welcome Wigan Warriors to Emerald Headingley Stadium. The fixture will precede the clash between the men’s sides as part of a double header which will be shown on Sky Sports.
Leeds have been in good form this season. The Rhinos were runners-up in the Challenge Cup and currently sit second in the Betfred Women’s Super League Group One table. In their four league fixtures, Leeds have won three, including the reverse fixture at Wigan’s Robin Park. The 48-12 away win was Leeds’ last fixture over two weeks ago. Zoe Hornby and Caitlin Beevers both completed hat-tricks for the Rhinos.
Wigan will travel to Leeds looking to cause a bit of an upset. The Warriors have won just one of their four league fixtures so far in 2022. After an opening day 44-0 defeat to St Helens, Wigan bounced back with a 30-18 away success at Huddersfield. Before back-to-back home defeats to York City Knights and Leeds.
Kris Ratcliffe has named new signing Lauréane Biville in the 19-player squad. The French international was named as Player of the Match for France when they faced England during the mid-season international.
Vice-captain Vicky Molyneux returns from an injury and is in contention to feature for Wigan.
Group Two
Sunday
Barrow Raiders v Wakefield Trinity – 2:00 PM
Barrow Raiders will welcome Wakefield Trinity to Craven Park on Sunday afternoon. The Raiders have been in good form and will be searching for their sixth consecutive win on Sunday. After losing in Round One to Warrington, Barrow have not looked back and sit second in the table, only behind Warrington on points difference.
In their last fixture, they travelled to West Yorkshire to face Wakefield and it was a successful journey for the Cumbrian side as the Raiders won 50-4.
Wakefield sit second bottom in the table, however before the Barrow defeat, they did produce their first victory of the 2022 league campaign. Their sole win came against local rivals Castleford in a tight 8-4 contest at Wakefield’s Be Well Stadium. However, this will be a tougher fixture.
Warrington Wolves v Bradford Bulls – 2:00 PM
Lee Westwood’s Warrington Wolves side will welcome Bradford to Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon. Warrington have been near perfect in Group Two. In their five matches, they have only conceded one try, which came in the opening fixture, meanwhile in attack they average nearly 60 points per match.
In the previous meeting between the two sides, Warrington made the trip to Bradford successful with a 54-0 win.
Bradford will be looking for their fifth win of the season when they travel to Warrington on Sunday afternoon. The Bulls have won four of their seven league fixtures.
After losing consecutive league fixtures, Bradford bounced back with a convincing 48-16 away win at Castleford’s Mend-A-Hose Jungle. Bradford will be looking for their third away win of the 2022 league season on Sunday.
Castleford Tigers v Featherstone Rovers – 2:00 PM
Castleford Tigers will welcome Featherstone Rovers to the Mend-A-Hose Jungle in an all West Yorkshire affair.
The Tigers are the only side in Group Two who are yet to win a fixture from five matches. At the start of July, Castleford ran Wakefield close, however they were unable to achieve that elusive first success.
Featherstone sit third in the table with four wins from six matches. Rovers started the season with impressive wins over Bradford and Sunday’s opponent, Castleford. The 56-6 success against Castleford was followed up with a 48-0 defeat to league leaders, Warrington.
Featherstone then won consecutive fixtures, but they were defeated by Leigh Miners in their last fixture.
Women’s Nine’s Competition – 10:45 AM
Salford’s AJ Bell Stadium will play host to the the Women’s Nine competition on Sunday afternoon.
Catalans, Leeds, Huddersfield, St Helens and York all qualified at the event in Warrington on May 1, meanwhile Warrington have been awarded a wildcard spot in Sunday’s event.
The action will get underway at 10:45 am, with the final set to kick-off at 2:50pm.
Games are played in nine-minute halves, tries are worth four points - or five if scored in the bonus area near the posts, with conversions, taken by drop kicks to speed up the play, worth two points.
Entry to the day is just £5 for what's set to be a packed afternoon of action involving some of the country's best Women's Rugby League players.
Betfred Super League Fixtures
Group One
Thursday
- Leeds Rhinos v Wigan Warriors – Live on Sky Sports – 5:30PM
Group Two
Sunday
- Barrow Raiders v Wakefield Trinity – 2:00 PM
- Warrington Wolves v Bradford Bulls – 2:00 PM
- Castleford Tigers v Featherstone Rovers – 2:00 PM
Women’s Nine’s
- Date: Sunday 24 July - 10:45 first kick-off – Final 2:50PM
- Venue: AJ Bell Stadium
- Tickets £5
