BWSL: Jones confident ahead of Saints v Warriors Derby clash

This weekend the Betfred Women’s Super League heats up with an explosive St Helens v Wigan Warriors Derby at the Totally Wicked Stadium in a double-header with the men’s teams (KO 5:20pm, live on Sky Sports).

The Final Charge is at its hottest with the two sides currently fighting for top spot in the league and the chance to lift the League Leaders’ Shield. With just one point separating the two, a win for Saints sees them lift the trophy on Friday Night, whilst a win from the Warriors moves them into the top spot and leaves the Shield winner to the outcome of the final round’s games.

The historic rivalry between St Helens and Wigan has produced plenty of intense match-ups across the course of Super League.

The two sides have met twice already this year, starting with the Betfred Challenge Cup Final, where the Warriors put on a dominant performance to lift the trophy and deny Saints a fifth consecutive title.

Back in Round 6, St Helens attempted to take revenge after the Challenge Cup defeat but only managed to claw back to a 22-22 draw.

The Warriors are hoping for a repeat of the Challenge Cup Final in this week’s game as they fight for their first ever League Leaders’ Shield - and their centre Molly Jones spoke ahead of The Derby about how the team are feeling and how the rivalry adds that extra incentive to both sides:

“The chance to win the Shield is the main motivation and drive, but we also want to perform week in week out regardless of whether there's something at the end of it.

“It feeds into it a lot - the rivalry. You want to do Wigan proud at the end of the day, especially when you're playing a team like St Helens.

“You don't want to play anyone else when it comes to these big games.

“It gives the fans a good show because you always turn up that extra bit and it’s always a good game.”

Wigan have been a standout team this season, surviving until Round 11 without a defeat, and Jones thinks that her team’s strong understanding of one another has made the difference this season:

“A lot of us were young players and I think we were just finding our feet in Super League. Everyone is getting used to one another and how each other plays because that's a big part of it.

“St Helens, they've been a squad together for ages and it shows with how they play.

“They know one another like the back of their own hands, whereas we were just trying to find that over the past few years. I do think that's made a massive difference.”

Jones has made a big impact in her time with the Warriors after progressing through their Academy. In this year’s Challenge Cup Final she almost opened the scoring on the seven-minute mark, before going on to assist a try by Mary Coleman. 

A collar bone injury in the 2024 pre-season looked to put her year in jeopardy, but the centre made her way back into the squad, helping the Warriors to lift the Women’s Nines trophy - a feat she helped them repeat in 2025. 

She also made her senior debut for England in an international against Wales earlier this year, where she scored a try in the first ten minutes - an achievement she takes great pride in:

“It's meant everything, it really has.

“I wanted it last year but with injury it's hard to get back into the flow of things - it takes you a while to get back.”

“With injury setbacks, my confidence was massively knocked and so to be able to work towards that this year and with the success at Wigan, it meant a lot and it did massively help my confidence.”

The centre also believes that part of Warriors’ success this year lies in how several other girls at Wigan made their England debut alongside her, including Grace Banks, Jenna Foubister, and Eva Hunter. 

“I think it's done the same for multiple girls who also made theirs this year. I think that has massively helped at Wigan with the dynamic because we've gone in with a little bit more belief within ourselves.”

Going into this important game, Jones has total confidence in her side’s ability to get the job done:

“I've got absolutely no doubt in the girls whatsoever. If I was to back absolutely anyone, I’d back the girls at Wigan.”

Wigan Warriors will travel to face St Helens in the Betfred Women's Super League Round 13 Shield Decider, live on Sky Sports (K.O. 5.20pm).

All six games across Rivals Round will be broadcasted LIVE and information regarding dates, venues and kick-off times can be found here.

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