St Helens Women will not be taking part in this season's Women Super League Final after suffering a 14-6 defeat by Leeds at Headingley.
๐ดโช๏ธ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐! ๐ดโช๏ธ
Our side is in for this evening's Women's @SuperLeague Semi Final against @leedsrhinos at Headingley live on @SkySportsRL. Skipper @Jodie_cunny misses out with injury but Williams and Roberts return to the 17. Lets go, girls! ๐#COYS pic.twitter.com/MIZEKqKayX
— St.Helens Women (@saints1890women) September 4, 2022
Saints could have taken a twelfth minute lead. We earned a ‘six again’ on the Leeds line and from it Amy Hardcastle passed inside to Shona Hoyle, she found Emily Rudge who tried to burrow under the Rhinos defence, after a long video referee review the try wasn’t awarded.
Another potential Saints try was ruled out midway through the half. Saints camped on the Rhinos line and Hoyle tried going for one from dummy half, the video referee review showed the forward had dropped the ball inches short of the line, 0-0 it remained.
Saints deservedly hit the front in the 25th minute. The ball was moved right and Zoe Harris found Rebecca Rotheram and she put Rachael Woosey through a gap to sprint away and score. Beth Stott was unable to add the extras, but those were the only points of a tight first half, as Saints led Leeds 4-0 at the break.
HT' ๐ดโช๏ธ Saints Women 4-0 Leeds Rhinos Women ๐ฆ
Saints hold a narrow lead at Headingley in the Semi Final. Woosey scoring the only points of the game so far in a tight contest. BIG second 40 to come!#COYS pic.twitter.com/MC5iQEsR7u
— St.Helens Women (@saints1890women) September 4, 2022
The hosts responded early in the second half. The ball was thrown to their left edge from the restart after they had forced a dropout, and Courtney Winfield-Hill throws a cut-out pass to find Sophie Robinson to score. Winfield-Hill was unable to convert, 4-4 the scores were tied.
Saints then had the chance to re-take the lead just after the hour mark. After getting a penalty to push into Rhinos territory, we were awarded another just to the left of the Rhinos sticks, Stott stepped up and added the two, 6-4 we led.
Leeds retook the lead with fourteen minutes to go. A high kick to the Saints right edge wasn’t dealt with and it bounced into Robinson’s arms who crossed for her second. Winfield-Hill missed the kick, 8-6.
The Rhinos confirmed their win with the last play of the game. Zoe Hornby crashing over from close range. Winfield-Hill converted, but it wasn’t to be for Saints, as Leeds won 14-6 to book their place in the Grand Final in two weeks.
FT' ๐ดโช๏ธ Saints Women 6-14 Leeds Rhinos Women ๐ฆ
๐ Heartbreak for Saints who are narrowly beaten by the Rhinos in West Yorkshire this evening. Woosey with our only try of the game, with Stott adding the other two points with the boot…#COYS pic.twitter.com/memjXm7LYR
— St.Helens Women (@saints1890women) September 4, 2022
Match Summary
Saints Women Team:ย Rebecca Rotheram, Leah Burke, Rachael Woosey, Amy Hardcastle, Eboni Partington, Beth Stott, Zoe Harris, Shona Hoyle, Tara Jones, Isabelle Rudge, Paige Travis, Emily Rudge, Chantelle Crowl.
Interchanges:ย Victoria Whitfield, Alice Sandham, Naomi Williams, Carrie Roberts.
Tries:ย Rachael Woosey (25)
Conversions:ย Beth Stott (0 from 1)
Penalties:ย Beth Stott (1 from 1)
Leeds Rhinos Women Team:ย Francesca Goldthorp, Tara Moxon, Hanna Butcher, Caitlin Beevers, Sophie Robinson, Samantha Hulme, Courtney Winfield-Hill, Danielle Anderson, Jasmin Cudjoe, Emma Lumley, Lucy Murray, Sophie Nuttall, Zoe Hornby.
Interchanges:ย Chloe Kerrigan, Shannon Lacey, Beth Lockwood, Orla McCallion.
Tries:ย Sophie Robinson (47, 66), Zoe Hornby (79)
Conversions:ย Courtney Winfield-Hill (1 from 3)
HT:ย 4-0
FT:ย 6-14
