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

A break from the Super League action at both levels in early May saw a triple header at Elland Road which I attended. 

Saints Cup Comeback Denies Rhinos

St Helens Women retained the Betfred Women's Challenge Cup as they came from behind to secure an 18-8 win over Leeds Rhinos Women. 

The Rhinos struck first with a well worked try from Zoe Hornby which Courtney Winfield-Hill converted for a 6-0 lead. Saints hit back with a Leah Burke try before Winfield-Hill ensured the Rhinos would take a lead into the interval with a penalty goal for 8-4 in the final minute.

The hour mark proved pivotal as after Winfield-Hill missed a penalty goal, Saints used the miss as inspiration to go down the other end and draw level with Eboni Partington's try for 8-8. Saints went ahead for the first time as Jodie Cunningham touched down and Beth Stott converted for 14-8. The win and the continued hold of the trophy was confirmed in the final seconds as Partington crossed for her second try for an 18-8 final score. 

Derby Delight For Warriors Against Saints

Wigan Warriors sealed a spot in the Challenge Cup Final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a narrow 20-18 win over fierce rivals St Helens. Wigan made the perfect start as Liam Marshall crossed for a try inside three minutes to create a 4-0 lead. The lead became 8-0 with a Cade Cust try before Liam Farrell touched down and Harry Smith converted for a comfortable 14-0 advantage into the interval.,

Saints took just seven minutes of the second half to respond as Konrad Hurrell crossed and Tommy Makinson converted for 14-6 before an instant second score as Jonny Lomax went in and Makinson converted to cut the gap to 14-12. The turnaround was completed on 57 minutes with James Roby crossing and Makinson kicked for an 18-14 Saints lead. Wigan fought back superbly with a try to live long in the memory as Marshall raced down the field in the 71st minute to claim his second of the game and level the score at 18-18. Smith swept a superb conversion through the sticks for 20-18 and the Warriors held on to seal a famous win and a trip to Spurs later that month. 

Hudds Hammer Rueful Robins

Huddersfield Giants reached the final for the first time in a decade as they cruised to a 25-4 win over Hull Kingston Rovers. The Giants raced into an 12-0 lead with tries from Josh Jones and Innes Senior both crossing inside 18 minutes with Oliver Russell converting twice and the lead remained into the interval. 

Jermaine McGillvary extended the lead within two minutes of the restart before Russell converted a penalty goal to make it 18-0 on 46 minutes. The win was confirmed by the hour as Owen Trout (Russell conv) touched down before Theo Fages swept over a drop goal for 25-0. The Robins avoided a nilling in having the final say as Shaun Kenny-Dowall went over late on for a 25-4 final score. 

2022 Women's Nines Group Stage (Catch-Up)

A huge delay in writing this feature which was my first as a volunteer for Wigan in covering the Women's Nines Group Stage so the main focus is on their group which was C and I chose to watch D later in the day. 

Saints Advance While Wolves Face Wait

St Helens Women reached Finals day in topping Group A with comfortable wins over Barrow Raiders Ladies (29-0) and Bristol Golden Ferns (40-0) after being held 17 all by Warrington Wolves Women. 

The Wolves also went unbeaten with a 14-4 win over Barrow Raiders Ladies and 29-0 victory over Bristol Golden Ferns, They should claim the sixth finals spot but will have to wait for the Wildcard announcement. 

The other game in the group saw Barrow Raiders Ladies end with a 24-4 win over Bristol Golden Ferns.

Rhinos Ease Through While Broncos Seal Second

Leeds Rhinos Women completed a clean sweep in Group B as they strolled to a 35-0 win over Featherstone Rovers Ladies ahead of a tough 18-4 success over London Broncos Women and 32-0 victory over Warrington Wolves Lunas. 

The Broncos finished second with two wins, the first being a 27-14 win over Warrington Wolves Lunas. and a surprise 15-8 success against Featherstone Rovers Ladies. 

The other game in the group saw Featherstone Rovers Ladies storm to a huge 51-0 hammering of the Warrington Wolves Lunas. 

Warriors Denied As Déesses Delight

Déesses Catalanes advanced to the finals with a perfect record as they opened with a 35-0 win over Hull FC Women and ended with a similarly dominant 35-5 victory against Wakefield Trinity Ladies.

The key game in the group saw them edge a 18-10 win over Wigan Warriors Women with Mailys Borak crossing twice, Leila Bessahli and Margot Canal scoring for the French side while Georgia Wilson and Kaitlin Hilton went in for Wigan. 

Wigan claimed two strong wins, a 33-0 win over Wakefield Trinity Women that saw Wilson score a hat-trick and Rachel House, Mary Coleman and Gabi Leigh all cross for tries and a 30-0 success against Hull FC Women with House, Anna Davies, Rebecca Greenfield, Ellie Costello, Hilton and Wilson all touching down. The other game in the group saw Wakefield Trinity Ladies secure a 25-10 win over Hull FC Women. 

Giants Glory As Devils Seal Second

Group D was my afternoon focus which saw top spot decided in the final game as Huddersfield Giants Women edged fellow unbeaten side Salford Red Devils Women in a 24-14 win with Amelia Brown, Jess Courtman, Angel Howey, Bella Sykes and Izzy Northrop all scoring tries for the Giants. 

The Giants had opened with a 34-6 win over Castleford Tigers Women with Erin Stott's hat-trick, Brown's brace and tries from Pippa Curley and Lois Naidole before a 25-11 victory over Oulton Raidettes thanks to a Hannah Goddard brace and scores from Bethan Oates, Brown and Curley. 

Salford Red Devils Women  secured two wins with a 31-21 opening success against Oulton Raidettes before setting up the vital final game after a 26-4 win over Castleford Tigers Women. 

The other game in the group saw Castleford Tigers Women's miserable season continue in a 12-4 loss to Oulton Raidettes. 

City Knights Cruise While Cardiff Celebrate Second

York City Knights Ladies stormed into the finals without conceding a single point as they eased to 26-0 wins over both Cardiff Demons Ladies and Bradford Bulls Women before rounding off with a narrow 9-0 success against Leigh Miners Rangers Ladies. 

Cardiff Demons Ladies secured second spot in the group with a 19-4 win over Leigh Miners Rangers Ladies before easing past Bradford Bulls Women with a 24-4 success.

The final game of the group saw a last-gasp 12-8 win for Bradford Bulls Women over Leigh Miners Rangers Ladies. 

2022 Super League Round 11 (Catch-Up)

A huge delay in catching up due to a busy schedule and also some writing for Wigan themselves see a resuming from Round 11. 

Giants Glory In Trinity Topple

Huddersfield Giants kept up their good form with a narrow 14-12 win over Wakefield Trinity at the Be Well Support Stadium. Wakefield opened the scoring with a self-converted try from Mason Lino for 6-0 before Chris McQueen crossed for the visitors to make it 6-4. The hosts regained a strong lead with Lewis Murphy crossing late in the half and Lino converting for 12-4 into the interval.

Huddersfield cut the gap again within five minutes of the restart as Luke Yates crossed for a try which Oliver Russell converted for 12-10. The comeback was completed just after the hour mark as Ricky Leutele went over for a 14-12 lead for the Giants who held on for the win.

Catalans Cruise As Tigers Tumble 

Catalans Dragons eased to a 44-12 win over Castleford Tigers at Stade Gilbert Brutus. A rapid start from the Dragons saw Julian Bousquet, Mitchell Pearce and Tyrone May all cross for tries to open up a 16-0 lead. The Tigers cut the gap to 16-6 with a self-converted score from Gareth O'Brien but the Dragons replied again with Mathieu Laguerre touching down and Arthur Mourgue converting for 22-6 into the interval. 

Mourgue crossed for a try of his own within four minutes of the restart and converted for 28-6 before he improved a Matt Whitley try and second from Laguerre to make it six successes with the boot and a huge 40-6 advantage at the hour mark. Cas ended the Catalans spree with a Jason Qareqare try which O'Brien improved for 40-12 but the hosts had the final say with Laguerre completing his hat-trick for a 44-12 final score. 

Rhinos Rally Past Robins

Leeds Rhinos boosted their mixed form with a 12-0 win over Hull Kingston Rovers at Headingley. The Rhinos raced out of the blocks with Matt Prior crossing inside three minutes and Rhyse Martin converting for 6-0. The single score lead remained into the interval. 

Leeds extended the lead further with Morgan Gannon touching down for 10-0 within eight minutes of the restart and the win was wrapped up on the hour mark as Martin swept over a penalty goal for a 12-0 victory. 

Saints Hold Off Red Devils

St Helens stay top after coming from behind to seal a 14-10 win over Salford Red Devils at the Totally Wicked Stadium. Salford opened the scoring with a try from Morgan Escaré which Chris Atkin converted for a 6-0 lead before Ben Davies crossed for the hosts to cut the deficit to 6-4. St Helens soon competed the turnaround though with a Jack Welsby try and Tommy Makinson conversion sending them into the interval leading 10-6.

Makinson extended the lead with a penalty goal for 12-6 before ex-Saint Matt Costello crossed for Salford to make it 12-10. St Helens wrapped up the win late on as Makinson added his second penalty goal of the evening for a 14-10 final score. 

Warriors Win Against Wolves

Wigan Warriors kept up the pressure at the top with a comfortable 40-22 win over Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. A rapid start from Wigan saw Iain Thornley touch down inside three minutes with Harry Smith converting for 6-0. Warrington replied with a self-converted try from Riley Dean for 6-6 before Thornley crossed for a second time and Smith converted for 12-6. The sides exchanged scores again with Jai Field (Smith conv) crossing ahead of Matty Ashton who cut the gap to 18-10. Wigan would lead 24-10 into the interval after Liam Farrell went over in the 39th minute with Smith converting.

A three minute brace from Liam Marshall early in the second half saw Smith convert the latter for a huge 34-10 advantage. Ethan Havard looked to have wrapped up the win with a try on the hour with Smith converting for a sixth time to make it 40-10. Warrington ended on a high though with two late scores from Danny Walker and Peter Matautia converted by Matatutia and Josh Thewlis for a 40-22 final score. 

Fabulous FC Trounce Toulouse

The round came to an end at the MKM Stadium as Hull FC eased to a 48-12 victory over Toulouse Olympique XIII. The visitors struck first as Junior Vaivai crossed inside nine minutes with Amthony Marion converting for 6-0. FC hit back with a Darnell McIntosh try before Connor Wynne crossed and Jake Connor converted to give FC a 10-6 lead. The hosts took control with a Joe Lovodua (Connor conv) effort for 16-6 and second scores of the game for McIntosh and Wynne with Connor converting the former for a 26-6 advantage at the interval.

Toulouse cut the gap with a self-converted try from Marion to make it 26-12 but it was a small blip for FC who resumed control with Denvine Balmforth crossing ahead of hat-trick tries for McIntosh and Wynne and two conversions from Connor for 42-12. The final say went to Kane who crossed for the hosts with Connor ending on six successes for a 48-12 final score.