Womens Super League Round Eight Review

After last week's Challenge Cup final. league action resumed at round eight with only three games completed after the tie between Leeds Rhinos Women and York City Knights Ladies was abandoned at the interval after a serious injury to Sophie Robinson. 

The Rhinos led 30-0 at the time and likely the final score if the game is not replayed and they reached that lead with Sophie Nuttall, Hanna Butcher and Charlotte Booth all crossing for tries with Robinson notching a hat-trick, suffering the serious injury in the act of scoring her third. Courtney Hill converting thrice in the half.

Leaders Castleford Tigers Women eased to a 50-16 win over Bradford Bulls Women at the Mend-a-Hose Jungle. The Tigresses went ahead on 12 minutes with Georgia Roche crossing and Tara Stanley converting for 6-0 before Bradford hit back through Sarah Dunn with Leah Jones converting to level at 6 all. Stanley claimed a try of her own before Amy Hardcastle crossed for the Bulls with Jones kicking them into a 12-10 lead. The Tigresses battled back with a Rhiannon Marshall try ahead of Stanley's second with her converting both for 22-12. A double blow before the interval for the Bulls saw Debbie Smith sent off and Kelsey Gentles (Stanley conv) cross for 28-12 into the break.

The hosts took control with Olivia Grace and Sinead Peach crossing with Stanley converting the latter for 38-12. Bradford cut the gap with a second Dunn try but it was to be their last as Marshall and Grace completed braces with Stanley converting to take her total to seven successes with the boot at 50-16.

Wigan Warriors Women suffered an 18-16 loss to Featherstone Rovers Ladies with the hosts snatching the two points late on. Rovers opened the scoring with Andrea Dobson crossing and Katie Hepworth converting for 6-0 after 17 minutes. Wigan drew level just before the interval as Becky Greenfield crossed and Kate McMullan converted for 6 all.

The Warriors scored consecutive tries with Sarah Harrison racing over and McMullan kicking for 12-6 but Fev battled back with Grace Cotton going over but with no conversion the score was 12-10 The sides were level on 62 minutes with a Hepworth penalty goal but a Rachel Thompson try soon restored the lead for Wigan at 16-12, the missed conversion from McMullen was to prove crucial as with eight minutes to go, Hepworth crossed and converted to seal an 18-16 win.

The final game of the round saw St Helens stroll to a 60-0 demolition of Wakefield Trinity Ladies at Ruskin Park. A perfect start for the Saints saw Rhianna Burke cross in the opening minute for 4-0 before Beth Stott and Katie-May Williams crossed with Faye Gaskin converting the latter for 14-0. The lead stretched to 26-0 at the interval after tries from Emily Rudge and Vicky Whitfield were converted by Gaskin. 

Saints spree resumed just five minutes after the restart as Rudge claimed her second try ahead of a Tara Jones score with Gaskin on target with both conversions for 38-0. Rudge completed her hat-trick before Eboni Partington went over and with Gaskin converting just once the lead became 48-0. The 50 point mark came as Rudge claimed her fourth score with the scoring all done by the 64th minute as Chantelle Crowl went over with Gaskin ending the afternoon with eight successes with the boot for 60-0.