Match report of all the action from the Betfred Women’s Super League fixture between Leeds Rhinos vs St Helens.
St Helens tries: 3’ 23’ Rudge, 37’ Gaskin, 42’ Burke, 46’ Hoyle, 68’ McColm, 73’ Mottershead | Goals: Taylor (4/7 – 1 penalty)
Leeds tries: 15’ Casey, 51’ Hardcastle, 58’ Hayward | Goals: Hayward (3/3)
POTM: Faye Gaskin (St Helens)
Leeds started the game under immediate threat from the St Helens line, with Emily Rudge exploiting the Rhinos to score her first try of the game in just the 3rd minute. Assisted by Amy Taylor, Rudge escaped tackles from Keira Bennett and Sophie Nuttall to get over the line – a quick conversion by Taylor for 6 points to the Saints.
The Rhinos fought back with the Saints showing signs of struggle after a stellar start, Caitlin Casey setting scores square by barging her way past 3 players to score just aside from the sticks, with Eloise Hayward accurate in her kick to register the Rhinos first points.
Scores weren’t the same for long as Rudge struck again, Taylor finding her from close range to break through another tackle to put the ball over the line – the former converting the second Saints try of the game to put them ahead once more. Another error from Leeds allowed for a penalty, Amy Taylor’s kick once again accurate to pull up 2 more points to the tally.
Taylor influenced play once more, finding the returning Faye Gaskin with a cut-out pass, who was then able to find Hoyle breaking through a tackle to race to the tryline to close out the first half. Taylor converting. At halftime, Leeds Rhinos 6 – 20 St Helens.
The second half was started with yet another St Helens try, clever play from McColm offloading in a tackle to Leah Burke who was able to score in the corner – a trademark staple in Burke’s play at Headingley. It wasn’t long until yet another Saints try, with Cunningham affecting play once more to find Hoyle in the corner for another 4 on the scoreboard. Taylor was unable to convert both tries, with the Saints 28-6
Amy Hardcastle in the 52nd broke away to get Leeds back into the game against her former side, beating Harris and a last ditch tackle effort from Burke to score a try under the sticks. An easy conversion from Hayward, with Leeds on a comeback at 12-28.
Fortunes turned towards the Rhinos way with Leeds threatening the Saints on their tryline. A short kick in the St Helens 40 was swiftly collected by the Leeds skipper Hanna Butcher, who passed it to Hayward on the wing to put more points on the board. The try-scorer converted the try to pull Leeds in close range of the 28 points to 18.
A knock-on from Leeds just 15 minutes before the end gave Saints the ammunition they needed after this Rhinos’ comeback. Saints stuck in the Leeds half, executing the try they’d been building up to with Luci McColm on the edge unrivalled by the opposition. Taylor’s conversion just fell short without the power to go through the posts. The scoreboard 18-32 to Saints with 10 minutes to go.
Jodie Cunningham made a classic break, beating a 2v1 situation which allowed Katie Mottershead to come up with the try – ensuring the St Helens victory. Taylor added the extras from 20m out, the scoreline an unchallengeable 18-38 for Leeds.
Lois Forsell’s team fell short at home by 20 points in what currently is an injury and NRLW plagued side, but nothing can take away from the stunning outing from St Helens. A couple errors from Leeds allowed for Saints to act quick, a fair few passes falling short of a player and bouncing along for the next one to collect. They’ll have to reform quickly before their next fixture, and learn how to deal with life without the game’s top tackler (48) Georgia Hale as she returns to the Gold Coast Titans in the NRLW.
The Saints were strong in most departments, Jodie Cunningham standing tall up front and making the breaks; Vicky Whitfield working hard in the centre with Saints star winger Leah Burke active all around the pitch and scoring a try of her own in the corner. Faye Gaskin was superb on return for the Saints after her knee injury near 2 years ago, and earned herself the player of the match award.
Double Header Delight 🤩 @saints1890women ✅
First Team ✅📸 @plattyphoto #COYS | #HistoryInTheMaking pic.twitter.com/pjpMzeV5we
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) May 27, 2023
St Helens XIII: Zoe Harris, Eboni Partington, Paige Travis, Luci McColm, Leah Burke, Faye Gaskin, Amy Taylor, Chantelle Crowl, Tara Jones, Darcie Stott, Shona Hoyle, Emily Rudge, Jodie Cunningham. Interchanges: Vicky Whitfield, Pip Birchall, Alyx Bridge, Katie Mottershead. Head coach: Matty Smith.
Leeds Rhinos XIII: Sophie Nuttall, Eloise Hayward, Hanna Butcher, Sophie Robinson, Tara Moxon, Caitlin Casey, Tasha Gaines, Izzy Northrop, Keara Bennett, Dannielle Anderson, Amy Hardcastle, Bethan Dainton, Georgia Hale. Interchanges: Jasmine Cudjoe-Earnshaw, Elle Frain, Kaiya Glynn, Beth Lockwood. Head coach: Lois Forsell
Written by Ellie Indie
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