St.Helens Women came from behind to earn a point in their opening match of the 2025 Betfred Women’s Super League against Leeds Rhinos.
Derek Hardman & Craig Richards named Alyx Bridge in the backrow for her first appearance of the season, and Caitlin Casey started in the halves for her first match against her former side.
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First Half
The first major attacks for both sides saw them push the other team back towards their own 20m line, both really getting a feel for one another physically.
Olivia Whitehead, then on the left wing for Leeds, shook away a few of our defenders to create a big Leeds opportunity. Mel Howard, the Australian half-back, then made the Red V defend their own line twice, first from a grubber which was taken in-goal, and then a cross-field kick.
The dam would eventually break after sustained pressure by St.Helens’ line, despite holding the visitors up twice, England hooker Keara Bennett scooted over from dummy half next to the line to open the scoring. Howard missed the kick, 0-4, with 14 minutes on the clock.
Leeds would quickly threaten again, second-phase rugby with offloads were cutting open the Saints too easily. Howard on the last went for a step and go near the line but was taken down well.
Around the 20-minute mark, Darcy Stott and Channy Crowl came off, and Vicky Whitfield and Georgia Sutherland came on, with Saints needing to stop the Rhinos’ control of the game and cut out their offloading.
Errors of our own making were not helping, an uncharacteristic rogue pass from Harris out to Cunningham saw the skipper knock on as we looked to build a set in their half.
Leeds kept the Saints from getting into their half with some strong pushbacks in tackles, and their last tackle kicks kept our defence guessing. After 30 minutes, a smart chip kick to the right forced their third goal-line drop-out of the game, and the Rhinos prop Isabel Northrop got a crash ball pass next to the line to score their second try. Howard kicked the extras this time for a 0-10 lead with 7 minutes left until the break.
A rare sight of the try-line then for the Saints, and a first real period in good ball, Harris placed a smart kick in behind which Hook chased perfectly and then took an opposition player behind the in-goal line for a goal-line drop-out.
The Red V got a just reward from that defensive effort, Mottershead with a smart short pass to Whitfield, who powered over one Rhino and reached out to ground it. Harris missed the kick.
In the dying embers of the half, Shona Hoyle made a big break up the middle, but the Rhinos got back to stop her in the final main moment of a tough first half.
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Second Half
The second period did not start well at all for St.Helens, the ball hung in the wind and bounced favourably for them to recover. Howard on the second play near the line dummied and scored but missed her conversion attempt with just two minutes in the half played.
The Rhinos clearly the more confident side from the opening exchanges had Bryer on the wing fend off a couple of our defenders but then went around her own teammate to give Saints a penalty 30m out.
Grace Short then needed to be checked over following a collision, initially it looked like the stretcher would come on to take her off, but she stood up and walked off the field which was a good sign.
The Saints had Leeds back on their goal-line, but the visitors’ defence was proving tough to break down. Hoyle and Cunningham both driving close but not close enough to get more points on the board. A late shot on Casey gave St.Helens a third close set, Hardcastle this time held up and McGifford going into the corner but judged to have gone in touch as she ground the ball.
More Rhinos danger came, with strong running on the edge catching Saints cold. A triple interchange was then made twelve minutes into the half with Luci McColm, Darcy Stott and Channy Crowl coming on.
Those changes gave the Saints an initial boost before Harris picked a smart pass out to an onrushing Hoyle who raced over 30m to go over for the Saints’ second try of the game. Zoe kicked the extras this time, for a 10-14 scoreline with 55 minutes played.
A quick Rhinos reply followed, though. Ebony Stead ran a terrific fullback line into a gap in the Red V’s defence, Salihi and Cunningham’s attempt to stop her could not do so, and Howard knocked over the kick, 10-20.
Aggrieved by that try, the Saints sought to make amends and did so with some good pressure defence, forcing a knock-on. After Crowl was prevented from playing the ball, no six-again or penalty given, we shaped up right and Luci McColm got on the end of a Salhi pass to sprint in. Harris missed the conversion though, just after the hour mark, with the points difference just six, 14-20.
More pressure would come from the restart, St.Helens not dealing with the kick and a bounce in the field before going out gifted the visitors another golden chance. However, we held them out and sought to go again.
Crowl looking for a last-ditch tackle gave way a high tackle, and the Rhinos wanted to make things difficult. Howard on the last and in front of the sticks went for a drop-goal, but it went wide.
Off the seven-tackle set, the Red V Women marched the Rhinos back downfield, but did not go close enough for more points as we entered the final ten minutes.
A brilliant defensive set from the Saints kept the Rhinos pinned in their own 40m, but a ricocheted poor kick caused problems, with a loose ball swept up by Harris but she was tackled and lost the ball. Ruby Bruce then picked it up and looked for all money she would score, but Dani McGifford made a heroic sprint back and tackle on her to stop. The Rhinos had nothing but space on their left to see out the game there and then but passed forward. A massive let off for the Saints.
Hardman & Richards’ Saints were fighting to get back into this one late on, after a Rhinos penalty we had them back once again by their own line. Jodie Cunningham put on a trademark late pass to Whitfield, and Vicky powered over for her second try of the day. McColm now on kicks and under pressure, nailed the conversion too, making it all level 20-20 with less than five minutes to go.
The nerves began creeping in for both teams, trading knock-ons, and the Rhinos would push close after grinding a set forward, but chaotic last efforts eventually led to another knock-on.
One final chance for St.Helens would come 40m out, a Leeds error gave a scrum, but we would lose the ball ourselves looking to play it out early.
A frustrating end to what ultimately was a spirited fightback to get back into the fixture, and both sides finished the match with a hard-fought and much-deserved league point.
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Match Summary
Saints team: Beri Salihi, Phoebe Hook, Erin Stott, Amy Hardcastle, Dani McGifford, Zoe Harris, Caitlin Casey, Channy Crowl, Katie Mottershead, Darcy Stott, Shona Hoyle, Alyx Bridge, Jodie Cunningham
Interchanges: Vicky Whitfield, Georgia Sutherland, Caitlin Maylor, Luci McColm
Tries: Whitfield (38, 74), Hoyle (55), McColm (61)
Conversions: Harris 1/3, McColm 1/1
Rhinos team: Ebony Stead, Tally Bryer, Jenna Greening, Bethan Dainton, Olivia Whitehead, Melanie Howard, Ruby Walker, Isabel Northrop, Keara Bennett, Ella Donnelly, Shannon Lacey, Lucy Murray, Kayla Glynn
Interchanges: Ruby Bruce, Grace Field, Grace Short, Frankie Blakey
Tries: Bennett (12), Northrop (31), Howard (41), Stead (57)
Conversions: Howard 2/4
You can download or print the official teamsheet by clicking here.
