BWSL: Catching up with the newly-promoted

Leigh Leopards are the newbies in the 2025 Betfred Women’s Super League, and their star half-back Rhianna Burke is relishing what's ahead.

Burke, sister of Saints speedster Leah Burke, is ready to make her own mark in the top flight once more, having previously played in the early years of the Women’s Super League for St Helens.

The Leopards’ dreams of Super League came true last October, as they emphatically beat Featherstone Rovers 16-34 in the Play-Off Promotion Final.

Kieron Purtill’s side won all nineteen of their matches in 2024, but this was the final hoop they had to jump through after a very challenging season, as Burke explained:

“Last year we competed in the Championship after falling short of promotion the previous year against Barrow Raiders.

“You have to play a lot of games to get promoted – there was the Northern Championship Final where we played Sheffield and the National Championship Final where we played London, and then we eventually got to the Play-Off Promotion Final against Featherstone.

“They were really intense games back-to-back and obviously, if you make one mistake, then you’re out. That was daunting.

“It was challenging but I think we prepared well each week and really had that determination and desire, and that's because we knew there was a real possibility of us getting to that final.”

After a sensational season, Burke summed up the scenes before, during and after their winner-takes-all clash with the Rovers:

“We’d played Featherstone a couple of times in the past with a win and a loss, but we didn’t really know what to expect last season.

“It was just unreal – it didn’t actually feel real at the time when it was all done and dusted.

“We knew it was realistic that we could win and that was our goal, but to play the way we did and for the scoreline to be like it was – it was just great.

“It was funny because the final took place on Sunday night and we were all working the next day, so couldn’t celebrate all together straight away!”

With Super League, comes the step up, however, and Burke realises that every aspect of their game must now gear up a notch:

“Pre-season has been so positive, but it’s been a lot tougher. We’ve trained a lot harder; the gym’s harder and the running’s harder, but I think for me, personally, you’ve got to stop and think, ‘look, this is where we want to be.’

“We want to be playing in Super League, and we know it’s going to be tough. But we’ve got to train this hard so that we can compete against the top teams.

“Everyone’s really looking forward to it. It feels like how a proper team should, we’re so close-knit and everyone’s got that collective spirit at the minute.”

For Burke and her Leigh side, she insists they aren’t just there to make up the numbers in 2025:

“We want to be competitive and it’s all about enjoying our game. You improve by playing against the best players and that's what we're going to do.

"As a team we want to compete, and we don’t want to just want to be the eighth team in Super League.”

The Leopards will kick off their 2025 campaign at the Leigh Sports Village this Sunday as they welcome Barrow Raiders – a team which finished 5th last year and just outside of 'the big four'.

Burke knows this will be a telling test for where her side are at, as they also look to enact revenge from their heartbreaking 2023 Promotion Play-Off Final loss.

Barrow clinched a thrilling 14-8 victory to seal their promotion two seasons ago and the two sides haven't met since - although Burke is well set for their reunion:

“It’s really exciting. We’re happy to have a first home game to kick off our season and we'll be ready for when Barrow come to town."

How will the Leopards fare in 2025?

The Betfred Women's Super League will return this weekend, and Burke's Leopards host Barrow Raiders in Round 1 (Sunday 18 May) at Leigh Sports Village.

The full fixture list for the Betfred Women's Super League can be found here.