For the third consecutive year, Leeds Rhinos Women and Wigan Warriors Women meet in the semi-final stage of the Betfred Women's Challenge Cup this Saturday at York's LNER Community Stadium, kick off 12pm.

The Rhinos, who have won the competition twice before, enter the clash looking to make a third Wembley appearance and a potential first win at the stadium, whilst Wigan can book a debut Cup Final with victory on Saturday. 

Take a look at the match preview:

Opposition

Having fallen to the Rhinos at this stage of the competition in the last two years, Wigan Warriors enter the 2025 semi-finals hoping that third time is the charm to make a debut Challenge Cup Final appearance.

The Warriors' run to this year's final four has been relatively straightforward as they secured three wins from three games and didn't concede a point. During the group stages, they breezed passed Barrow Raiders and London Broncos by scoring 128 points across both games. Jenna Foubister continued her rise under Denis Betts with three tries against Barrow, before new signings Tiana Power and Remi Wilton led the try scoring on the road against the Broncos in Chiswick.

At the quarter finals stage, another huge win saw the Warriors post eighteen tries on Cardiff Demons in a one-sided 96-0 score line. England international Anna Davies stole the show on that occasion with four tries across the 80 minutes, and Mary Coleman also got in on the try-scoring action with a first-half hat trick.

With Betts heading into his second year as head coach of Wigan's Women's team, the former Warriors player has built and developed a squad of largely homegrown talents over the last twelve months. Foubister leads the names brought through the club's Academy, along with Molly Jones, Grace Banks and Eva Hunter, plus Mia-Jayne Atherton can be the next talent to break through after her promotion from the Academy during the off-season.

The club has driven recruitment off the field too to bring trio Shaniah Power, Emily Veivers and Tiana Power from Australia to join the Warriors' cause. Remi Wilton also made the off-season move from York Valkyrie after helping the club to back-to-back Grand Final wins last year, as well as Megan Williams who moves from St Helens.

Since their debut appearance in the Cup competition in 2018, all three of Wigan's Cup semi finals have come against the Rhinos. Both clubs met in the semi finals in their first season seven years ago as the Rhinos secured a 26-8 win thanks to tries from Caitlin Beevers, Dannielle Anderson, Char Booth and Frankie Townend. 

Fast-forward to 2023 and Beevers was a scorer again in a tight 16-4 score line to send the Rhinos to Wembley for the first time, before the club booked their place in the 2024 final in a free-flowing 34-20 win at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Last Time Out

Semi Final History

Rhinos

2024 - Won 34-20 vs Wigan Warriors

2023 - Won 16-4 vs Wigan Warriors

2022 - Won 28-26 vs York Valkyrie

2021 - Lost 12-20 vs St Helens

2019 - Won 16-10 vs St Helens

2018 - Won 26-8 vs Wigan Warriors

Wigan

2024 - Lost 20-34 vs Leeds Rhinos

2023 - Lost 4-16 vs Leeds Rhinos

2018 - Lost 8-26 vs Leeds Rhinos

Milestones

SHANNON LACEY needs one game to make her 50th appearance for the Rhinos. Lacey joined the Rhinos for its inaugural season in 2018 and has played 33 times in the league and 16 times in the Challenge Cup (including both the 2018 and 2019 Challenge Cup Finals).

More Information

Tickets are available to buy now directly from the RFL in block ED (along the side, reserved seats), priced at £30 for adults, £22 for concessions and £15 for juniors.

The game will be played before the Betfred Men’s Challenge Cup Semi Final between Hull KR and Catalans, kick off 2.30pm, which is included in your match ticket.

CLICK HERE to buy tickets.