By Sam Brocksom

A brilliant four-try performance from captain Hanna Butcher, as well as a hat-trick from Amy Hardcastle helped Leeds Rhinos Women achieve a 58-10 victory over Warrington Wolves Women at Headingley.

Lois Forsell made five changes to the team that lost out at Wembley last week, with Tasha Gaines, Keara Bennett, Kaiya Glynn, Beth Lockwood and Bella Sykes all coming into the side. They replaced Ruby Enright, Sophie Nuttall, Jasmine Cudjoe, Dannielle Anderson and Eloise Hayward.

Leeds got off to a rapid start, scoring with their first touch of the ball. Warrington knocked on in the first set, and from the resultant scrum, Amy Hardcastle managed to break the line and sprint 40 meters to score next to the posts. Keara Bennett, on kicking duties for this game, added the extras.

The game seemed to swing both ways in the first quarter. That was until back-to-back tries for the Rhinos gave them a foothold of the game. First, captain Hanna Butcher found herself with an easy put-down due to a run from Hardcastle causing havoc. Then, Caitlin Casey found herself with a gap ahead of her which she used to full effect – dummying the pass out wide to cross for herself.

Less than 10 minutes after her first try, the skipper was over again! A shift play right was executed perfectly as Butcher faked the pass to score. The conversion was added again by Bennett, who was four from four at this stage.

Two more tries before the break took the Rhinos to 32-0 up. Tara Moxon added her first try since the Challenge Cup Semi-Final over Wigan. The ball was shifted left and after Tasha Gaines was caught just short of the line, Leeds went down the blindside for Moxon to score right in the corner. Then, five minutes before the hooter, Hardcastle scored her second try of the afternoon. Another exceptional run, giving the defenders no chance.

The second half almost started the same way the first half did as Casey’s high kick looked to cause danger but it was well diffused by Warrington. The Wolves then managed to get their first points of the game through Michelle Davis. The halfback kicked through for herself, the ball was spilled by Gaines and Davis picked up the loose ball to score. She converted her own try and the score was 32-6.

Davis then managed to get her second of the game after another kick was not dealt with by the Rhinos and the halfback was first to react, scoring in the left corner. She was unable to convert her own try.

The Rhinos got themselves back on the front foot quickly after, starting with a moment of magic from Moxon as she raced 80m downfield to score under the posts. That was quickly followed with the hat-trick tries of Hanna Butcher and Amy Hardcastle. Bennett was successful with the conversions and the Rhinos hit 50.

Leeds weren’t done yet, however as Bennett decided she wanted to be part of the try-scoring list. The hooker shot out of dummy half to score. The final try of the game came from Butcher, who used great strength to break the line and score her fourth try. Bennett’s final conversion hit the posts and the score remained 58-10.

Leeds: 17. Tasha Gaines, 20. Tara Moxon, 11. Amy Hardcastle, 3. Caitlin Beevers, 2 Sophie Robinson, 4. Hanna Butcher, 26. Caitlin Casey, 8. Zoe Hornby, 9. Keara Bennett, 16. Beth Lockwood, 19. Elle Frain, 28. Lucy Murray, 12. Bethan Dainton. 

Subs: 18. Izzy Northrop, 22. Kaiya Glynn, 24. Jenna Greening, 32. Bella Sykes.

Tries: Hanna Butcher x4, Amy Hardcastle x3, Tara Moxon x2, Caitlin Casey, Keara Bennett.

Conversions: Bennett 7/10, Casey 0/1