Heritage Number: 54
Debut: Vs York Valkyrie (H) 09/04/2023
Honours -
Grand Final: Winner 2017 (Bradford), 2021 (St Helens); Finalist 2023
Challenge Cup: Winner 2017 (Bradford), 2021, 2022 (both St Helens); Finalist 2023, 2024
League Leaders' Shield: Winner 2021 (St Helens)
Leeds Rhinos Women signed two-time treble winner and England international Amy Hardcastle from St Helens ahead of the 2023 Betfred Women’s Super League season.
The centre was one of the stand out players for England in delayed 2021 World Cup and ended a fruitful two season at St Helens to return to Yorkshire and commit her future to the Rhinos. During her debut campaign in blue and amber, Hardcastle was a regular name on the team sheet as she only missed two games, plus her renowned try scoring record saw her cross 15 times throughout the season. She also helped the team compete in both domestic finals, including the first Women's Challenge Cup Final to be played at Wembley Stadium in August.
2024 saw Hardcastle finish as the club's joint-highest try scorer as she recorded 13 tries over the course of the campaign. Ten tries came in the Betfred Women's Super League competition, including three in a 50-4 win over Warrington, plus she added three tries on the Rhinos' road to back-to-back Challenge Cup Final appearances.
At the end of the 2024 season, Hardcastle was one of three players to leave the Rhinos to sign for St Helens. She scored 28 tries in 32 appearances for the club.
The Halifax born player, started her career with Bradford and was part of the treble winning Bradford side in 2017, alongside her Rhinos head coach Lois Forsell. She went on to captain the Bulls and won her first cap for England in 2009 before going on to represent her country in the 2013 and 2017 World Cups. In 2020, Hardcastle was the only English player to be named in the Women’s Team of the Decade, selected by the NRL.
She made the switch to St Helens in 2020, but the cancellation of the season due to covid meant that she didn’t make her debut until the following year. She enjoyed an unforgettable first season at Saints, scoring 23 tries in 13 appearances and won all three domestic trophies for the second time in her career.
The following season she played in the Challenge Cup Final winning squad against Leeds and finished the year representing England in the World Cup, scoring five tries in three games.
2023 also saw the outside back feature in two England international wins against France and Wales, particularly scoring two tries against the latter in a 60-0 win at Headingley.
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