St.Helens Women came from behind to beat York Valkyrie, 18-8, and maintain their unbeaten league run in the 2025 Betfred Women's Super League.
In a repeat of the 2024 Grand Final, the Saints hosted York who came into this round of action on the back of beating Wigan Warriors Women, ending their unbeaten season and firing up their challenge for the top two positions of the league table.
The Valkyrie were motivated to avenge their third successive exit from the Challenge Cup at the Semi Final stage to St.Helens from earlier in the season. Whilst the Red V wanted to keep their position at the top of the league ladder.
Craig Richards and Derek Hardman welcomed back into the starting thirteen the captain Jodie Cunningham, and back-rower Shona Hoyle, whilst Caitlin Casey made her return off the bench.
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First Half
Matches between Saints and York in recent years have been close, bruising battles, and this one was exactly the same with no love lost between the sides. The first half saw no tries scored, but a full-blooded opening forty.
Ten minutes into the match Zoe Harris on the right and the short-side tried to give fullback Rebecca Rotheram a late pass to draw in the defence, but the pass did not land and eased early pressure by the visitors’ line. Moments later, York got given a penalty and turned the pressure on St.Helens with Tara Moxon going over the try line but losing the ball thanks to strong defence by Cunningham, Harris and Phoebe Hook.
Mixing up their kicking options, the Valks had the likes of Rhiannion Marshall and Zoe Hornby kicking, before bringing on Ellie Williamson off the bench. On our side, Gaskin and Harris also tried to keep York on their toes with various kicks. Gaskin tested former Saint Eboni Partington, but the winger deputising at fullback was composed.
Twenty five minutes in, York gave away back-to-back penalties, the second was for a late shot on Gaskin close to the line. The Saints’ #7 had the kicking tee brought on, but her effort came off the posts, back into our hands, but the defence of the visitors scrambled well.
It was a half built on strong tackling, and lack of sustained periods for either team to stay in the opposition’s 20m. A bit of heat began coming to the fore, with words exchanged as this latest chapter of the Saints/York rivalry looked to be another closely fought one.
Just five minutes before the break, Cunningham got taken late by Evie Sexton, leading to an uncharacteristic bit of shouting by the Saints skipper, and Sexton was shown a yellow card and sent to the bin for it. Trying to make the most of that penalty, the S-Women hit the left edge with numbers and space but knocked on.
York would then also get a penalty, 20m out from the try-line with Gaskin judged to have taken Tamzin Renouf too high, and an alleged crusher tackle was also put on report. More needle and more coming together following it, but once it cooled down Marshall slotted over the kick for the opening points of the day, 0-2, as the first period came to a close.
Second Half
The restart saw the pressure put on Saints early, a knock on from the first carry invited York goodball position. Hardman & Richards’ troops turned up well though, holding up Renouf in-goal and then on the other side of the field keeping Moxon out on the last.
Saints’ first major chance of the half was a short-side Harris kick to the corner, it was bundled around but judged not played at, so keeping it alive the ball was passed back to Gaskin who kicked ahead again but Valkyrie defused it for a tap 20m restart.
On the back of that, the visitors had the Red V on the backfoot and Peace Lekuru on the right edge managed to get an offload away close to the line. Savannah Andrade juked inside and fended away some last ditch defence and went over for the first try of the fixture. Marshall calmly took all the time she could before kicking the conversion to extend the visitors’ lead, 0-8, around 50 minutes played.
In what was already a high quality defensive match, the Saints put on a terrific set after conceding the first try, holding York in their own half. Rebecca Rotheram, who grew in influence as the match progressed, returned the ball with gusto to get us going and then Gaskin closed out the set with a swirling bomb which was knocked on, 20m off the York line.
Punishing the error, a short crash ball to Emily Rudge saw the former England skipper twist her way over and get us on the board. Once again, there was a slight flare up between the two sides, Rudge and Harris tried to calm the situation down, with Partington in particular clearly frustrated, but wisely the referee told all to walk away. Gaskin calmly kicked the conversion, the York lead got cut to 6-8, with 55 minutes played.
Erin McDonald was proving to be a real handful, both in attack and defence. Both teams kept themselves in the arm wrestle trading sets and a couple of errors each. Looking to create a second Saints score, Cunningham kicked a short one on the last and Agnes Wood caught it and ran for 40m. Racing back, the Saints brought her down and kept York out. Looking to get us back going, an early set carry from Cunningham saw her yet again taken high, this time by Dagger.
Pressure began building with gaps starting to appear in the York defensive line, Luci McColm thought she was in for a try if not for a last-ditch ankle tap stopped her, inches away. Looking to pin the visitors back, Emma Kershaw knocked on the ball at the play of the ball.
Going to the left edge York tried to close down the Saints but touched the ball. With the repeat set, McDonald charged through the middle with a number of York players needed to stop her, the ball then sharply got passed out to the right and McColm fed Phoebe Hook the ball for a dive in the corner. St.Helens had the lead for the first time, 10-8, and Gaskin could not add the extra two, making for a nervy final ten minutes.
On the restart set, Rudge was tackled by four York players and came off worse for wear following it, and needed to come off the field. Williams stepped back in, to close out the game.
Gaskin once again placed a smart kick to challenge Partington, it rolled between her legs, putting her on the backfoot and Hook led the chase to bring her down. Lekuru on the next carry ran into a brilliant hit-up by Cailtin Casey which forced a knock on by the 20m line. In almost a carbon copy of the Saints’ second try, we shaped up on the right and Casey proved to be important once again, throwing an on-the-money hit-out pass to Hook for her brace! To make it even better, Gaskin from the touchline kicked over the conversion attempt off the touchline, a remarkable kick too with it just getting over the crossbar, 16-8, with around four minutes to go.
Saints kept the York side rolling off the restart, Gaskin’s kick on the last saw Hook and Kershaw contest it but the Valkyrie winger knocked it back and then held Hook off the ball from getting to it for a penalty. Moments later, York gave away another penalty on their own line with their captain Sinead Peach offside and playing at a kicked ball. Clearly unhappy with the call, Peach appeared to say a comment to the referee which resulted in her being shown a red card for dissent.
Gaskin from close to the middle of the field kicked a penalty to extend the Saints’ lead in the final major moment of a thrilling match.
The Saints held their position at the top of the Betfred Women’s Super League table, beating the 2024 Champions, 18-8!
Up next: it is Derby Day at the Totally Wicked Stadium – Saints versus Wigan – 5:30pm Women – 8pm First Team
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Match Summary
Saints Team: Rebecca Rotherham, Phoebe Hook, Luci McColm, Rachael Woosey, Dani McGifford, Zoe Harris, Faye Gaskin, Darcy Stott, Katie Mottershead, Chany Crowl, Shona Hoyle, Emily Rudge, Jodie Cunningham
Interchanges: Vicky Whitfield, Naomi Williams, Caitlin Casey, Erin McDonald
18th Player: Hollie Bawden
Tries: Emily Rudge (53), Phoebe Hook (70, 78)
Conversions: Faye Gaskin (2 from 3)
Penalties: Faye Gaskin (1 from 2)
York Team: Eboni Partington, Peace Lekuru, Lisa Parker, Tara Moxon, Emma Kershaw, Georgie Dagger, Tamzin Renouf, Liv Wood, Sinead Peach, Izzy Brennan, Savannah Andrade, Evie Sexton, Agnes Wood
Interchanges: Ellie Williamson, Izzy Bibby, Zoe Hornby, Rhiannon Marshall
18th Player: Adaoha Akwiwu
Tries: Savannah Andrade (47)
Conversions: Rhiannon Marshall (1 from 1)
Penalties: Rhiannon Marshall (1 from 1)
Sin Bin: Evie Sexton (35)
Red Card: Sinead Peach (79)
HT: 0-2
FT: 18-8
