England star Fran Goldthorp extends contract with North Queensland Cowboys Women

England international Francesca Goldthorp has extended her stay at North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL Women’s Premiership, on a one-year-deal.

Goldthorp, who was born in Leeds, previously played for Leeds Rhinos in the Women’s Super League between the 2019 and 2023 seasons, where she featured in the team who beat York in the 2022 Women’s Grand Final, 12-4. That same year, she also scored 13 tries in 15 appearances to help the Rhinos reach the Challenge Cup Final.

Her abilities were rewarded with a call-up to the England squad in 2021, where she made her international debut against Wales, and scored a try on debut. She has since featured eight times for England.

The talented and versatile full-back, who can also play in the centres or on the wing, caught the eye of a number of NRL Women's clubs when she appeared in the Rugby League World Cup in 2022, and went on to sign with North Queensland Cowboys for 2023. Goldthorp has since enjoyed a standout first season, averaging a staggering 144 running metres a game - the most of any player within the team, the latter earning her a well-deserved contract extension.

Goldthorp is among three other female players who have all penned new deals with the Cowboys.

“These four women played hugely important roles both on the field and building culture for our first ever NRLW squad,” Cowboys Head of NRLW and Women’s Elite Pathways Anita Creenaune said on the Cowboys club website.

“It was an easy decision to exercise the options on Tahlulah and Fran’s contracts."