Despite a second half revival, Leeds Rhinos Women lost out 20-16 to Huddersfield Giants Women as they suffered their third defeat of the Betfred Women’s Super League campaign.

Ahead of their trip to Wembley for the Challenge Cup Final next weekend, Lois Forsell made a number of changes for the visit of the Giants.  Mid-season signing from Huddersfield Bella Sykes was named on the bench for her debut, whilst three members of the club’s Academy stepped up to make their first team debut. Methley Warriors’ Tilly-Jae Brown, Oulton Raidettes’ Alice Costello and Illingworth’s Angel Bentley all impressed under Matty Bullough in the Academy this season and got their first taste of action in the Women’s Super League at Headingley. Sam Hulme returned for the first time since the 88-0 win over Warrington, to partner Tasha Gaines.

The home side fell behind early when Amelia Brown crossed after six minutes. Having threatened to break during the set before, the winger took a poor kick from Frankie Townend well under pressure from Sophie Robinson, and broke away from Sophie Nuttall to open the scoring.

The Rhinos tried to counteract as centre Bentley had a handful of inspired touches, but the Giants bided their time and Brown got her second. Although the winger missed the initial chip kick over the top, Ana Cassaman Da Silva was following up and managed to keep the ball alive for Brown to provide support and finish around Hulme. Ellie Thompson couldn’t convert either attempt, keeping the score at 8-0 after 15 minutes.

Mistakes in attack proved to be the only hurdle for a young Rhinos outfit as Huddersfield couldn’t add more points. On the opposite try line, Izzy Northrop thought she’d made the breakthrough when she crashed over, only for the referee to judge that she had knocked on in the process of grounding the ball.

Forsell called upon her substitutes to make an impact as Costello, Brown and Sykes all came on for their debuts. The trio threw themselves into the action, which saw the Giants almost get their third when Preston was released by Townend, but Nuttall got back to stop the centre.

Northrop was denied again, along with Lucy Murray as the pair were held up by resilient Giants defence. To the frustration of the team, the half time hooter came too soon as the away side took an 8-0 lead into the break.

Leeds needed a quick start to the second half and got back on level terms inside ten minutes. Sykes marked her first appearance in a Rhinos shirt with a four-pointer after Hulme was brought up short of the line and the hooker darted out of dummy half to get Leeds on the score board.

Quickly after the Giants were pulled up for a handful of penalties by the referee, Hulme set up Tasha Gaines for a great try. Beth Lockwood had drafted in multiple defenders on the previous play and as Hulme spotted the opposition short on numbers, her quick thinking to chip the ball out for Gaines gave her team mate an easy finish. Eloise Hayward’s conversion hit the uprights as the score remained level at 8-8.

Despite being buoyed by their revival, Leeds found themselves behind again as Emma Wilkinson hit a hole under the posts to take the Giants’ lead out to six points with Thompson’s conversion. It was no matter though as Bentley became the latest debutant to score, thanks to quick hands shifting the ball wide for the centre to sprint to the line.

Brown’s hat trick try put Leeds at a disadvantage heading into the final ten minutes, but a rallying try from Jasmine Earnshaw-Cudjoe from her own grubber kick gave Leeds hope. Time was against them once again though as the Giants walked away with a 20-16.