2021 Womens Super League Shield & Play-Offs Round Five (Catch-up)

The 2021 Women's Super League entered the final round of the split with Round 5 of both the Shield and Play-Offs.

Rovers Rally Past Wolves

Featherstone Rovers Ladies continued their good form with a 34-18 win over Warrington Wolves Women at Victoria Park. Rovers raced into an 18-0 lead with tries from Brogan Kennedy, Gabbi Harrison and Andrea Dobson with Katie Hepworth converting the lot. Warrington cur the gap with a couple of tries (scorers unknown) which Michelle Davis converted for 18-12 before Grace Dyke touched down to give Rovers a 22-12 lead into the interval.

Sadly, updates were limited in the second half aside from the news Featherstone scored two tries which Hepworth converted and the Wolves one score and a Davis conversion for a 34-18 final score. 

Brilliant Bulls Trounce Trinity

Bradford Bulls Women sealed a semi-final spot with a 46-6 win over Wakefield Trinity Ladies at Odsal. The Bulls flew out of the blocks with a self-converted try from Sarah Dunn, efforts from Kacy Haley, Millie Taylor and Linda McLean with Dunn adding a conversion for a 20-0 lead after 25 minutes. The spree continued with Dani Bose and Cara Cookland both going over for tries which opened up a 28-0 lead into the interval.

McLean claimed her second try within two minutes of the restart before Bose struck twice in three minutes to complete her hat-trick for a 40-0 advantage. Wakefield got off the mark in the final ten minutes as Abby Price crossed and converted for 40-6 but the final say went to the Bulls as Haley claimed her second try of the evening with Dnnn converting for a 46-6 final score. 

City Knights Topple Tigers 

York City Knights Ladies wrapped up up a semi-final spot as they won 28-14 against Castleford Tigers Women at the LNER Community Stadium. The hosts opened up a 12-0 lead with tries from Olivia Wood and ex-Tigers back Kelsey Gentles which Emma Hardy converted. Castleford replied with Jasmine Cudjoe crossing and Courtney Pursglove converting to cut the gap to 12-6, a score line which lasted into the interval. 

A self-converted try from Hardy opened the scoring for the second half to make it 18-6 before another ex-Tiger in Tamzin Renouf crossed for a try which Hardy improved for a 24-6 lead. Castleford remained in hope with a Shona Hoyle effort cutting the gap to 24-10 but the win was confirmed for the City Knights on 71 minutes as Savannah Andrade went over for 28-10. The Tigers did have the final say though with Pursglove crossing in the 77th minute for a 28-14 final score.

Saints Seal LLS Against Warriors

St Helens Women wrapped up the League Leaders Shield with a 52-0 derby demolition of Wigan Warriors Women at the Totally Wicked Stadium. The Saints opened the scoring inside two minutes as Carrie Roberts crossed for 2-0 before Rachel Woosey extended the lead to 8-0 with a 10th minute effort. The hosts led 14-0 into the interval as Roberts claimed her second try and Beth Stott converted. 

Saints dominated in the second half with efforts from Paige Travis and Alice Sandham either side of a second score from Woosey with Stott converting the lot for 32-0 before the hour mark. Leah Burke crossed for 36-0 before a brace from Amy Hardcastle sandwiched a Naomi Williams try with Stott converting twice to wrap up a huge 52-0 win that put Saints just two wins away from an historic treble. Highlights of the action can be seen here.