Wigan Warriors Women 0 Leeds Rhinos Women 52

A big second half performance from Leeds Rhinos Women saw them keep up their winning run in the Betfred Women’s Super League with a 52-0 victory over Wigan Warriors at Robin Park.

A competitive first half saw little to separate the sides, although the Rhinos dug in at key stages to keep Wigan from scoring. 

Leeds took an early lead after just five minutes when Ruby Enright went over in the corner and then Sophie Robinson extended the lead just minutes later when she collected a perfectly placed high kick for a try in the corner. 

Wigan put pressure on the Rhinos, but they were unable to break through some impressive defence.  A great break from Mary Coleman who weaved her way upfield looked like the moment Wigan would finally find fortune, but Leeds held her up on the line.  The Warriors then had another chance when they were awarded a penalty for another set of six deep in the Rhinos half, but Leeds held off the danger before a brilliant break from Butcher got the Rhinos on the front foot again.

As the half came to a close the Rhinos went down to 12 players after Bethan Dainton was sin binned.  Wigan finished the half strong when Cailey Miller raced clear for what seemed certain to be Wigan’s opening try before a superb tackle from Sophie Nuttall stopped her route to the try line.  The Warriors then had to be alert at the opposite end of the pitch when a powerful run for Kaiya Glynn saw the prop push off one defender before just being stopped short of the line.

At half time, Rhinos head coach Lois Forsell, may have assessed that her team had plenty of work to do in the second half to secure a convincing win and if that was the case her team answered those instructions and stepped up to prove unstoppable.

Leeds started the half with Dainton still off the pitch, but Izzy Northrop got the Rhinos off to the best possible start with a brilliant break from Izzy Northrop who raced from half way for the opening try.  Casey adding the conversion.

That was a clear statement of intent from the visitors to get the job done and there was little rest up from them over the next 40 minutes.  Clever play from Keara Bennett led to the next try minutes later, the England hooker with the dummy to catch the Warriors out before diving under the posts.  Casey adding the conversion.

Sophie Nuttall then extended the lead with a try in the corner to add to the Warriors woes in the opening ten minutes of the half.

Caitlin Beevers added another when she took a pass from Caitlin Casey close to the line, but Enright’s conversion attempt drifted wide.  Izzy Northrop almost scored a repeat of her first try as she handed off one Wigan defender to find a path to the try line, but a big tackle from Anna Davies denied the prop.

Two brilliant bits of play from Zoe Hornby then set up two tries for her team, first up Jasmine Cudjoe was in support to take the pass and go under the posts before Dainton took an overhead pass to get a second next to the posts.  Enright converting the first and Casey on target for the second.

With five minutes to go Leeds kept up the pressure and Amy Hardcastle used her power to wrestle her way across the line in the corner.  Casey adding the extras after her kick went over after bouncing off the post.

In the final minute of the game, Hornby wrapped up the win with a try next to the posts and Casey landed the conversion.

The teams will meet again in two weeks when they play each other in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final at Headingley.