Women

BWSL: Round 10 Preview

31 Jul 2024

The Betfred Women’s Super League returns this week following a break in the schedule for Women’s Nines Finals Day with a mouthwatering clash between St Helens and York Valkyrie kicking things off on Wednesday (31 July, 7.30pm) live on The Sportsman.

A win for Saints will see them leapfrog above Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors into top spot, while a win for York would see them draw level on points with the three sides currently sitting above them as the battle for play-off positions intensifies.

The two sides have met twice already this year, reigning champions Valkyrie sinking Saints with a last-gasp Carrie Roberts try at the LNER Stadium in the opening league encounter of the season and St Helens exacting sweet revenge with a convincing Betfred Challenge Cup Semi-Final win at Doncaster in May.

This meeting is their rearranged Round 6 fixture, after a relaying of the pitch at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Round 10 then begins as Lindsay Anfield’s charges will travel to the Totally Wicked Stadium desperately seeking to put last week’s home defeat to Wigan Warriors behind them, while Matty Smith’s St Helens are looking to keep their 100% home record intact.

The rest of the week’s fixtures will take place on Sunday, and after being crowned Women’s Nines champions last weekend, Wigan Warriors return to league action against a Huddersfield Giants (KO 12pm) side who have won two of their last three matches.

Leeds are looking to keep their place at the top of the table as they take on Featherstone Rovers at the Millennium Stadium (KO 12pm).

Lois Forsell's side come into the game with wins in their last two away games with the Rhinos focused on a strong run to the end of the regular season, during which they play Featherstone twice.

Sunday's game is the first time since 2021 that Rovers have taken on Leeds in the Women's Super League, having lost all five of their previous meetings to the Rhinos.

Since the Rhinos joined the Women's competition in 2018, they beat Featherstone home and away in their opening two campaigns in 2018 and 2019, and also added a win in 2021 after the COVID pandemic.

York Valkyrie will travel to Warrington Wolves (KO 12pm) with the Wire yet to record a win against their opponents in each of their previous four meetings.

Saints will then play their second game of the week when they head to Craven Park to face Amanda Wilkinson’s Barrow Raiders (KO 12pm).