Debut: Vs Wigan Warriors 12/05/2019
Honours -
Grand Final: Winner 2019, 2022; Finalist 2021, 2023
Challenge Cup: Winner 2019; Finalist 2022, 2024
Awarded the number nine shirt for the 2021 season, Keara Bennett has risen through the Rhinos Academy ranks to become one of the top hookers in the Betfred Women's Super League.
Bennett was promoted to the first team during the 2019 'double' season as the Rhinos clinched the Women's Challenge Cup and Grand Final. After impressing on an academy trial, she caught the eye of Adam Cuthbertson and made her first team debut in a 12-4 win over Wigan Warriors in round four of the Women's Super League. She went on to make most of her thirteen appearances during the season as an impact from the bench.
She played in every game leading up to the Rhinos lifting the Challenge Cup for a second consecutive season, including the Cup Final against Castleford, and on the final day of the league season, she scored her first try for the club against Wigan. The hooker then closed out the season by appearing in both the Play Off semi final win over St Helens and also the Grand Final win over Castleford.
After the Betfred Women's Super League was suspended due to Covid in 2020, Bennett underwent shoulder surgery, meaning she returned to action in round six against local rivals Bradford Bulls before finishing the season with seven appearances and two tries. 2022 proved a big year for the hooker too as she cemented her place as the Rhinos' starting hooker. Notably, she fought back from an injury scare to play in the Grand Final win over York to lift her second Grand Final trophy, as well as make her World Cup debut as part of the England side that reached the semi-finals.
2023 saw Bennett nominated for the Woman of Steel award after another superb season. Despite missing the Challenge Cup Final through a suspension, she finished the year with her highest try tally in a single season with Leeds and played a key role in getting the club to a fifth consecutive Grand Final. Internationally, she featured twice for England in wins over France and Wales, scoring her first international try against the latter at Headingley.
Brushing off ankle surgery at the start of 2024, Bennett was back in action by the start of the Betfred Women's Super League season as she came off the bench in victory over Huddersfield. She was an ever-present in the side from there on in, starting every game at hooker in the league, and also got the chance to play at Wembley for the first time as she face St Helens in the Challenge Cup Final. Internationally, Bennett also played twice for England in 2024 in wins over France and Wales.
Inspired to play rugby league after watching Castleford Tigers with her dad when she was younger and watching her brother play and always wanting to join in, Bennett started her junior rugby at Brotherton Bulldogs, where she received coaching from her mentor and head coach Lois Forsell thanks to the work of Leeds Rhinos Foundation, and then moved to Featherstone Lionesses.
Bennett also found rugby success at school too. A former student at Castleford Academy, she was part of a squad that won the Yorkshire and National Finals four and five times. Besides rugby league, she has also played everything in high school, but played cricket and rugby union. She completed her A-Levels at Pontefract New College, studying PE, Biology and Health and Social, and is currently studying at Leeds Beckett University.
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