The 2023 Women´s Super League got underway as the first part of an Easter Sundey double-header when the defending Champions, Leeds Rhinos took on York Valkyrie in the opening Group 1 league game at Emerald Headingley before the Mens side took on the Huddersfield Giants.
Arch enemies for the whole of the 2022 season, this was a repeat of last year’s Grand Final on September 18th 2022 which saw the Rhinos record a 12-4 win to lift the trophy after York had only lost one game during the regular season, beat the Rhinos twice in the league, and had won the Minor Premiership with ease. Both sides have made multiple personnel changes over the close season so this was a great opportunity to see who would be challenging for honours in the season ahead.
York were first to trouble the scorers on six minutes when Tamsin Renouf won the race to ground a Sinead Peach grubber kick to the corner. Tara-Jane Stanley kicked brilliantly from the right touchline to extend the lead to 6-0.
On ten minutes Jas Bell was sat down for ten minutes after a tip tackle to open the door for the Rhinos. On the next set Caitlin Beevers went close but a fast play the ball allowed hooker Keara Bennett to dive over the line through a weak York defence to ground. Sam Hulme added the conversion to level the scores.
On sixteen the twelve men hit back when Ashleigh Hyde took an excellent long looking pass from Stanley to scamper over in the left corner. Stanley was again on target with another sensational touchline conversion for 12-6.
A super break from Beevers, cutting through the York defence on a fifty metres sprint for the line before she was hauled down a metre short. A fast play the ball saw two passes for Eloise Hayward to walk in on a massive overlap and score right of the sticks. Hulme added the extras for 12-12.
On thirty-six the Valkyrie were once again back in the lead as Hollie-Mae Dodd stepped inside twice to avoid three tackles and dive over the line. Stanley was again on target for 18-12 half time lead in a very competitive match.
The York lead was doubled on fifty minutes when Liv Gale but through two tackles before running over the top of two Leeds tacklers to score by the left upright. Stanley hit the mark again for her fourth goal of the afternoon for 24-12.
The win was put beyond any doubt on sixty-five, Rhiannion Marshall offloaded brilliantly to Stanley who ran for the corner from twenty metres to dive over and score under the tackle. This time Stanley blotted her copy book, missing to the right of the uprights.
Stanley made amends on seventy-five as she added a penalty goal for 30-12, a comprehensive opening win of the season for the minor premiers over the Grand Final winners.
With sixty second left on the clock the Valkyrie added insult to injury as Ellie Hendry found space on the overlap to score in the right corner. Stanley was unable to add the extras but at 34-12 it was the icing on the cake and a great start to the season for York, a disappointing one for the Leeds Rhinos who appear to have a lot of work to do as they seek success in 2023.
Leeds Rhinos: Nuttall, Hayward (T), Beevers, Butcher, Robinson, Casey, Hulme (2G), Hornby, Bennett (T), Northrop, Hardcastle, Dainton, Hale. Subs: Earnshaw-Cudjoe, Anderson, Lockwood, Frain. 18th Man: .
York Valkyrie: Stanley (T, 5G), Hyde (T), Renouf (T), Hendry (T), Hetherington, Gale (T), Wood, Peach, Bell (SB on 10), Owen, Andrade, Dodd (T). Subs: Rihari, Staveley, Marshall, Field. 18th Man: Whitehead.
Half-Time: 12-18.
Full-Time: 12-34.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, (SB), 4-6, 6-6, 6-10, 6-12, 10-12, 12-12, 12-16, 12-18 : HT : 12-22, 12-24, 12-28, 12-30, 12-34 : FT.
Lead Exchanges: York – Square – York – Square – York.
Referee: Ryan Cox.
