Leeds Rhinos Women's 2025 season starts this weekend as the Rhinos get their Betfred Women's Challenge Cup campaign underway with a clash against Leigh Leopards Women at AMT Headingley on Saturday, kick off 1pm.

Having featured in the last two Cup Finals at Wembley Stadium, the Rhinos are eying up a third visit in 2025 as they look to get out of Group C which includes the Leopards and Sheffield Eagles. This year's competition sees a reduced 12-team format (compared to 14 teams in 2024) pit teams against each other in four groups made up of three teams. After playing the teams in their group once, the winner and runner up move through to the quarter finals, where it is then a straight knockout through to the final which is once again held at Wembley.

Here's your match preview for the game:

Opposition

Ahead of their debut season in the Betfred Women's Super League, Leigh Leopards Women get a chance to flex their muscles early in the Cup competition over the next month.  

2024 was a huge season as Leigh's Women's side as they bounced back from losing in the Promotion Final in 2023 to finish the 2024 Championship regular season unbeaten before they beat Featherstone Rovers in the promotion play-off Final 34-16. Now taking Rovers' place in the top tier for the first time in the club's history, Kieron Purtill hopes to put a strong season together with a number of new signings to add to last year's squad.

Along with Lucy Johnson and Kim Seddon who joined mid-season from Warrington, Emily Baggaley, Abby Latchford and Abi Johnston have also switched from the Wolves to the Leopards for the year, along with former Wigan players Maddison Higson, Becky Greenfield and Alice Fisher. Full back Hattie Dogus is one to watch out for having finished 2024 as the Leopards' top try scorer, plus half backs Rhianna Burke and Leah Morris have been retained to hold the side's spine together. 

Leigh's history against Leeds started in the Cup competition back in 2022 when the formerly named Leigh Miners Rangers lost out 92-0 at the hands of the Rhinos - Courtney Winfield-Hill recording a hat trick on the way to Leeds getting to that year's Final. A year later, the Leopards were back in Leeds in the quarter finals of the Cup, but it was another win for the Rhinos as Ruby Enright scored two tries on her debut to contribute to a 54-0 triumph.

Last year was another 50 point win for the Rhinos on the road, but Blackwood managed to get a try for the home side.

Last Time Out

Leeds and Leigh have met three times in history, all in the Challenge Cup. Last year saw the Rhinos run out confident victors in the opening round of the 2024 Cup competition as Leeds won 52-4 thanks to tries from Sophie Robinson, Caitlin Casey, Bethan Dainton, Lucy Murray, Olivia Whitehead, Shona Hoyle, Ruby Enright, Tara Moxon and two from Zoe Hornby.

Ins and Outs

Rhinos

Tally Bryer (Featherstone Rovers), Mel Howard (Newcastle Knights), Lacey Owen (York Valkyrie), Frankie Blakey, Connie Boyd, Lily Thompson (elevated from the Academy)

Leopards

Alice Fisher (Wigan Warriors), Lucy Johnson, Emily Baggaley, Abby Latchford, Kim Seddon, Abi Johnston (all Warrington Wolves), Hannah Roberts (St Helens), Maddison Higson (Wigan Warriors) Macy McDermott (Illingworth), Becky Greenfield (Wigan)

Upcoming Games

Rhinos

Vs Sheffield Eagles - 12th April, KO 12.30pm

Vs St Helens - 17th May, KO 2pm

Vs York Valkyrie - 25th May, KO 3pm

Leopards

Vs Sheffield Eagles - 20th April, KO 3pm

Vs Barrow Raiders - 18th May

Vs Warrington Wolves - 25th May

Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Weekend Fixtures

Group A

Warrington Wolves vs Cardiff Demons (Sunday 6th April, KO 2pm)

Group B

Huddersfield Giants vs York Valkyrie (Sunday 6th, KO 3pm)

Group C

Leeds Rhinos vs Leigh Leopards (Saturday 5th April, KO 1pm)

Group D

Wigan Warriors vs Barrow Raiders (Sunday 6th April, KO 2pm)

More Information

Tickets for Leeds Rhinos Womens Betfred Women's Challenge Cup clash with Leigh Leopards at AMT Headingley on Saturday 5th April are on sale now. 

Tickets are £10 for adults and free for juniors 16 & under. Tickets will be sold in advance at tickets.therhinos.co.uk and on match day (ticket prices will not increase on match day). Purchased tickets will be issued on RhinosTix (Leeds Rhinos Ticketing App) from Friday 28th March.