Shona Hoyle: We want to win silverware

Shona Hoyle will wear new colours for the 2024 season, as she hopes for a big year with Women's Super League high-flyers Leeds Rhinos.

The England international and former Saint has enjoyed an illustrious career to date and is hoping to achieve much more in 2024.

Throughout her playing career, versatile Hoyle has won the treble with Bradford Bulls and League Leaders' Shield with Castleford, before playing a pivotal part in St Helens' 2023 season.

Last year she was in outstanding form in the Red V, scoring 16 tries in 17 appearances. Hoyle was a try scorer in the Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Final against Leeds at Wembley and was also nominated for the Woman of Steel Award.

Internationally, Hoyle earned her first cap in 2017, before featuring for every game for England in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

Making the move to West Yorkshire and closer to home for a better work-life balance, Hoyle is happier than ever and has really settled into her new life as a Rhino:

"I'm really enjoying the move. I absolutely loved it at Saints, I loved the girls, and I loved the coaching staff.

"I now find myself in a group with a lot of youth and also a lot of talent, so I'm really excited to see how the season goes ahead.

"Being back in Yorkshire is really important to me, and what's also important is that Leeds have the same aspirations in performance level and welfare for players - exactly how it was at St Helens.

"It's a very proud club and somewhere I hope I can get the best out of my career."

1?st official Leeds try for @livwhiteheadx and @shonahoyle in the books ?

Watch all the tries from our first @TheChallengeCup game of the season now!
— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) March 19, 2024

Setting her ambitions high for the upcoming Women's Super League season, Hoyle is ready for success at her new club, and knows her team-mates around her will be just as motivated.

The Rhinos came close in both major finals last year, suffering double heartache in the Women's Challenge Cup and Grand Final, as they lost out to St Helens and York Valkyrie.

And Hoyle, who was on the winning St Helens side at Wembley, is hoping to do this all again and make back-to-back appearances on the big stage:

"I've got so many good memories and I'd love to do it all again - I'd love to win at Wembley and win in the Leeds badge," Hoyle admitted.

"Playing at Wembley was the best part of my career.

"My dad fell really poorly last year; he was in hospital and couldn't come to watch. I'd like to get there again and get my family to come down and watch."

Emotional for a number of reasons, Hoyle went on to explain the feelings of competing in the sport's top flight competition, and what it means to play at the legendary Wembley Stadium:

"Playing in finals, such as Wembley - it's a feeling I can't explain - it's proud, it's effort based, it's special, and it's about wanting to be there for your team-mates, experiencing it all together and wanting to win no matter what.

"That's why we play, we want to win silverware and win together, and I definitely want to do this at Leeds this season."

As much as Hoyle has set her sights on what the Rhinos Women are wanting to achieve in 2024, she recognises that her side cannot afford to underestimate any other team in the Women's Super League.

She knows Leeds will have to work their utmost hardest if they are to take back the silverware and come out on top in the all-important finals:

"We want to achieve everything and I think every team will be feeling exactly the same way.

"We're constantly training and going to the gym before and after work. We put ourselves through a lot of stress, but we love it.

"We love the environment and who we're with. It's something you can't express unless you love the game."

This year will also see Hoyle link back up with one of her best friends Amy Hardcastle, who she first played with at Siddal, before spending time together at Bradford Bulls and St Helens.

Reunited once more, Hoyle is pleased with how the Rhinos' new combinations and pairings have been coming along and is looking forward to seeing her team-mates take to the field in this year's Women's Super League:

"They're all going really well. It's great to be back with Amy Hardcastle. We're really good friends and it was always emotional every time we played against each other last year.

"We want to do well together and thrive together. I'm also excited to see Caitlin Casey in action - she's going to be one to watch and the exciting player to watch out for in the Women's Super League as well."

With Round 1 fast approaching, where Leeds Rhinos will face Huddersfield Giants in a West Yorkshire derby double header, Hoyle welcomes the change of two additional teams in the Women's Super League, and the consistency of playing this will bring: 

"I'm really looking forward to having eight teams in the competition, and having week in, week out games with no gaps.

"I think there were a lot of gaps last season, and it can be hard to get into a routine when it's like that. When you've got a game, you have to put your body in a certain position, and you have to do things differently through the week to make sure you're prepared for that game.

"I think the more we're in that cycle, the better it is for every player in the competition."

The Betfred Women's Super League will return this weekend, with Hoyle's Rhinos hosting Huddersfield Giants Women in Round 1 (Friday 19 April) at AMT Headingley Stadium, as part of a double header with the Men's Betfred Super League fixture.