2022 Women's Challenge Cup Semi Finals (Catch-up)

Another delayed post as the catch-up continues with the Women's Challenge Cup Semi Finals which were held at Warrington Wolves' Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Rhinos Comeback To Deny City Knights 

The first semi final saw Leeds Rhinos Women come from behind to seal a 28-26 win over York City Knights Ladies. A perfect start for York saw Tara-Jane Stanley cross for a try in the opening minute which she converted for a 6-0 lead. Leeds replied with Chloe Kerrigan touching down for a brace either side of an effort from Grace Field (Stanley conv) as York led 12-8. The Rhinos went ahead for the first time with two scores in four minutes as Alexandra Barnes and Hanna Butcher crossed with Courtney Winfield-Hill converting twice for 20-12 and this remained into the interval. 

York cut the gap with a Sinead Peach try and Stanley conversion for 20-18 before Stanley levelled at 20-20 with a penalty goal. The equality lasted just two minutes as Tasha Gaines crossed for Leeds with Winfield-Hill converting for a 26-20 advantage. York hit back to level again with Jasmine Bell touching down and Stanley converting for 26-26. The win was sealed for the Rhinos as Winfield-Hill converted a penalty goal for 28-26 to send them into the final. 

Super Saints Rout Rovers

St Helens Women moved a step closer to retaining the trophy with a comfortable 82-0 victory over Featherstone Rovers Ladies. A rapid start from the Saints saw Paige Travis cross inside six minutes for 4-0 before a brace from Carrie Roberts and Amy Hardcastle try were coupled by two Zoe Harris conversions for a 20-0 advantage. Rebecca Rotherham and Leah Burke crossed to increase the lead further before Travis reached her brace and Roberts claimed her hat-trick try, Harris converted only the final two for 40-0 into the interval. 

The scoring spree resumed within two minutes of the restart with Eboni Partington crossing for 44-0 before Roberts scored her fourth ahead of a Vicky Whitfield effort for 52-0. Rotherham and Hardcastle completed their braces either side of the hour mark with a Beth Stott conversion moving the lead to a huge 62-0. The win was rounded off by a Tara Jones score, hat-trick try for Hardcastle and a rapid late brace from Rachel Woosey with Stott converting twice for the 82-0 final score. 

2022 Super League Round Ten (Catch-Up)

After the hectic Easter double, many clubs rotated their line-ups for Round Ten which saw home advantage pay off. 

Resilient Rhinos Topple Toulouse

Leeds Rhinos boosted their mixed form with a 25-14 win over Toulouse Olympique at Headingley. The visitors struck first with Paul Marcon crossing for a try which Tony Gigot converted for 6-0. Leeds hit back with two scores from James Donaldson and Brad Dwyer which saw Rhyse Martin convert twice for a 12-6 lead into the interval. 

Leeds continued their scoring spree with Tom Briscoe crossing for 16-6 before Martin added a penalty goal and Kruise Leeming swept over a drop goal for 18-6 at the hour mark. Toulouse cut the gap with a Matty Russell try for 19-10 but a second score from Dwyer (Martin conv) confirmed the win with a 25-10 lead that was cut by a late Junior Vaivai try for a 25-14 final score. 

Cas Crush Saints 

Castleford Tigers staged a shock as they claimed a 30-10 victory over St Helens at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle. A perfect start for the Tigers saw Jason Qareqare cross for a try to make it 4-0. Cas extended the lead further with tries from Derrell Olpherts and Jake Trueman with Paul McShane converting the latter for 14-0 into the interval. 

Olpherts claimed his second score of the evening to move the lead to 18-0 before Saints mounted a comeback with Jumah Sambou and James Bell crossing either side of the hour mark with Shay Martyn adding a conversion for 18-10. The hosts wrapped up the win with tries from Joe Westerman and Mahe Fonua which saw McShane convert both for the 30-10 final score. 

Robins Rise As Trinity Tumble

Hull Kingston Rovers eased to a 32-10 win over Wakefield Trinity at  Sewell Group Craven Park. The Robins struck first with Kane Linnett crossing and Lachlan Coote converting for 6-0. A self-converted effort from Coote doubled the lead to 12-before the Robins went into the interval with a 16-0 lead after a try from Shaun Kenny-Dowall.

The Robins opened up a 24-0 advantage by the 55th minute after a brace from Ethan Ryan before Jacob Miller replied with a try which Mason Lino converted for 24-6. KR wrapped up the win with a score from Ryan Hall but Lewis Murphy soon crossed to cut the gap for Trinity to 28-10. The final say went to the hosts as Linnett crossed for his second score of the game for a 32-10 final score. 

Wolves Win Halts Hudds Hopes 

Warrington Wolves improved their recent form with a comfortable 32-10 win over Huddersfield Giants at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. The Wolves raced into a 12-0 lead courtesy of a Josh Thewlis brace and Riley Dean conversion. Toby King extended the lead with a try on the half hour with Dean kicking for 16-0 before Innes Senior crossed for the Giants to make it 16-4 into the interval. 

Warrington resumed control with a Connor Wrench effort which Dean converted for 22-4 before Thewlis completed his hat-trick with Dean converting for a huge 28-4 lead. Ben Currie crossed to wrap up the win with Luke Yates crossing late for Hudds and Oli Russell converting for a 32-10 final score. 

Warriors Defeat Rallying Red Devils 

Wigan Warriors kept up the pressure at the top with a last-gasp 30-24 victory over Salford Red Devils at the DW Stadium. Wigan opened the scoring with Jai Field crossing inside five minutes and Harry Smith converting for a 6-0 lead which was cancelled out by King Vuniyayawa's try and Ryan Brierley's conversion for 6-6. Salford completed the turnaround with a Matt Costello effort which Brierley improved for 12-6 and it spurred the Warriors into a response as Kaide Ellis, Liam Farrell and Smith all crossed for tries with Smith converting the lot for a 24-12 lead into the interval. 

Salford staged a second comeback after the restart with Alex Gerrard and Ken Sio both touching down which saw Brierley convert twice to level at 24-24. The sides looked set for Golden Point Extra Time but Field had other ideas as he broke the line and raced over for his second score in the final minute with Smith converting for a fifth time to seal a the 30-24 success. 

Hull FC Halt Catalans Charge

The round came to an end with Hull FC edging a 14-6 win over Catalans Dragons at the MKM Stadium. The hosts struck first with Jordan Lane touching down and Jake Connor converting for 6-0 before Fouad Yaha crossed for the Dragons to cut the gap to 6-4. FC regained a full score lead as Chris Satae went over for a try which Connor improved before adding a penalty goal for 14-4 into the interval. 

The second half proved to be a closer contest with just a single score which came in the 68th minute with Mitchell Pearce crossing for 14-8 and the hosts managed to hold off any further score to secure the 14-6 win. 

2022 Super League Round Nine (Catch-Up)

The second half of the Easter double saw some sides bounce back with wins in round nine. 

Tigers Triumph Against Luckless Leeds

Castleford Tigers completed a perfect Easter weekend with a narrow 16-14 win over Leeds Rhinos at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle. A rapid start from the Tigers saw James Clare and Derrell Olpherts crossing to open up an 8-0 lead inside 17 minutes. Leeds hit back just before half-time as Rhyse Martin touched down and converted to cut the gap to 8-6 into the interval. 

The sides were level at 8-8 as the hour mark approached after Martin kicked a penalty goal and Cas responded with Gareth O'Brien sweeping a penalty goal over to regain the lead at 10-8. The Tigers looked to have sealed the win as Liam Watts crossed and O'Brien converted for 16-8 with eight minutes to go but the Rhinos set up a tense finish as Martin crossed for a second time and converted for 16-14 but the hosts held on for the two points.

Giants Slayed By Saints 

St Helens stay clear at the top after a 24-12 win over Huddersfield Giants at the John Smith's Stadium. The visitors struck first with Jon Bennison crossing and Tommy Makinson converting for 6-0 inside six minutes. Hudds levelled with an Ashton Golding try which Oliver Russell converted before the sides exchanged penalty goals with Makinson and Russell both kicking for 8-8 into the interval. 

Saints went ahead within eight minutes of the restart as Mark Percival crossed and Makinson kicked for 14-8 but Hudds cut the gap to 14-12 courtesy of a Tui Lolohea try but it was their last joy of the day as Joe Batchelor (Makinson conv) and Jonny Lomax crossed to wrap up the 24-12 win. 

Dragons Defeat Red Devils 

Catalans Dragons completed a perfect Easter with a comfortable 36-10 win over Salford Red Devils at the AJ Bell Stadium. The hosts opened the scoring as Deon Cross touched down for a try which Marc Sneyd converted for 6-6 before Catalans hit back with a Mathieu Laguerre effort that Arthur Mourgue converted. The Dragons went ahead with scores from Tom Davies and Mitchell Pearce with Mourgue converting twice for 18-6 into the interval. 

Catalans control continued with Matt Whitley and Sam Kasiano both crossing after the restart and with Mourgue converting twice, the lead became 30-6. Salford cut the gap with a Ken Sio try for 30-10 but it was limited joy as Pearce scored his second try of the game with Mourgue confirming a 36-10 success with the conversion. 

Robins Edge Past Toulouse

Toulouse Olympique XIII remain at the foot of the table after losing out 28-24 to Hull Kingston Rovers at Stade Ernest Wallon. The hosts opened up a 12-0 lead after Lucas Albert and Mitch Garbutt crossed for tries which Chris Hankinson converted and the lead remained into the interval. 

Ryan Hall crossed within a minute of the restart to cut the gap to 12-4 before Paul Marcon touched down for the hosts with Hankinson kicking for 18-4. Hall struck again with Will Dagger converting for 18-10 and the Robins rallied back with two scores in four minutes as George King and Jordan Abdull both crossed with Dagger kicking KR into a 22-16 lead. The comeback looked complete with Matt Storton's try (Dagger conv) for 28-18 and was tested late on by Marcon's second score which Hankinson kicked for 28-24 but the Robins held on for the win. 

Wondrous Warriors Trounce Trinity

Wigan Warriors bounced back from the derby defeat with a huge 54-10 win over Wakefield Trinity at the DW Stadium. Trinity struck first with Thomas Minns crossing for 4-0 before a rapid brace from Bevan French and Brad Singleton effort saw Harry Smith convert the lot for an 18-4 lead. The hosts led 24-4 into the interval though after Abbas Miski touched down and Smith converted. 

A self-converted score from Smith opened the scoring in the second half for 30-4 before he converted both of a rapid brace from Jai Field for a huge 42-4 advantage. Cade Cust (Smith conv) crossed to push the lead to 48-4 before Trinity ended the Warriors spree with a Jacob Miller try which Mason Lino converted for 48-10. Wigan had the final say on the score-line with Singleton claiming a second try which saw Smith end with nine successes from the boot for a 54-10 final score. 

Wolves Fall To FC

The round came to an end at the MKM Stadium as Hull FC edged an 18-16 win over Warrington Wolves. FC opened the scoring with an effort from Jamie Shaul which Luke Gale converted for 6-0. Warrington hit back to level at 6-6 as Daryl Clark crossed and Stefan Ratchford converted. Hull regained the lead with a Brad Fash try and Gale conversion for 12-6 but the sides would be level at 12-12 into the interval after Matty Ashton crossed and Gareth Widdop converted. 

Ashton claimed his second score of the game to finally put the visitors ahead at 16-12 with 70 minutes played but they were to be denied the win as Manu Ma'u touched down three minutes from the end and with Gale converting, FC wrapped up the 18-16 win.