2022 RFL Women's Super League

Last updated

2022 Women's Super League
Teams12
Matches played92
Points scored2,241
Champions Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos
League Leaders Shield YorkRLFCcolours.png York City Knights
Runners-up YorkRLFCcolours.png York City Knights
Biggest home win Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 86–0 Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity
(22 May 2022)
Biggest away win Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity 0–102 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves
(31 July 2022)
Woman of Steel
Promotion and relegation
Promoted from Group 2 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves

The 2022 RFL Women's Super League (also known as the Betfred Women's Super League for sponsorship reasons) was the sixth season of the Rugby League Women's Super League, for female players in clubs affiliated to the Rugby Football League (RFL).

Contents

The title was won by Leeds Rhinos who beat York City Knights 12–4 in the grand final. [1] York had finished top of the table to win the league leader's shield. [2]

The defending champions were St Helens, who beat Leeds Rhinos 28–0 in the Grand Final at Headingley on 10 October 2021, in front of a record crowd of 4,235. [3]

The league increased the number of participating teams by 2, from 10 to 12, with Barrow Raiders and Leigh Miners Rangers being promoted to the Super League, after finishing first and second respectively in the 2021 Women's Championship. [4] However, the structure of the league has changed, with the league being split into two groups; a structure based on the play-off and shield structures used in the second half of the 2021 season. Group 1 comprises Huddersfield, Leeds, St Helens, Wigan and York. Group 2 comprises Barrow, Bradford, Castleford, Leigh Miners, Featherstone, Wakefield and Warrington. The RFL explained that the split structure as giving the player for clubs in group 1, challenging fixtures in the run-up to the World Cup; while allowing the clubs in group 2, the opportunity to develop by playing clubs in more competitive matches. [5] However, in April 2022, the RFL acceded to a request from Castleford, for the club to be placed in Group 2, thus changing the structure, with Group 1 containing of five clubs and group 2 of seven clubs. [6]

End of season awards

At the end of season awards on 24 September, three awards were made: [7]

Teams

Fixtures and results

Regular season tables

Group 1

PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 YorkRLFCcolours.png York City Knights 870124258+18414League Leaders Shield & Advance to semi-finals
2 Saintscolours.svg St Helens 860231463+25112Advance to semi-finals
3 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 8503320116+20410
4 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 82061043132094
5 Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants 8008324624300
Source:

Group 2

PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 12120074436+70824Advance to semi-finals
2 Barrowcolours.svg Barrow Raiders 12903386168+21818
3 Fevcolours.svg Featherstone Rovers 12804370156+21416
4 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 126062022969412
5 CarcassonneRLcolours.PNG Leigh Miners Rangers124081742981248
6 Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers 1220101065104044
7 Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity 121011685865182

Play-offs

The play-off structure for each group was the same; 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd in the semi-finals with the winners meeting in the final. In Group 1, the final known as the Grand Final would determine the champions for the season. In Group 2 the final was called the Shield Final and would determine which team was promoted to Group 1 for 2023. The finals were played as a double header at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens.

Group 1

In the semi-finals York beat Wigan 12–4 and Leeds beat St Helens 14–6. [8] Leeds beat York 12–4 in the Grand Final to take their second title. [9]

Group 2

Warrington beat Bradford 72–0 while Featherstone beat Barrow 12–10 in the semi-finals. [10] In the Shield Final, Warrington won 34–6 against Featherstone to be promoted to Group A. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castleford Tigers</span> English professional rugby league football club

The Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England. They play their home games at Wheldon Road, also known as The Jungle, and compete in the Super League, the top flight of the British rugby league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daryl Powell</span> Professional rugby league coach

Daryl A. Powell is an English rugby league coach and former professional rugby league footballer. He is the head coach of Wakefield Trinity who play in the RFL Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian McDermott (rugby league)</span> English rugby league footballer, and singer

Brian G. McDermott is an English professional rugby league coach who was the head coach of Featherstone Rovers in the RFL Championship, resigning on 26 Sep 2022, after the loss to Batley Bulldogs. He is a former professional rugby league player.

The Rugby League Reserve Team Championship is a rugby league competition for the reserve teams of the British-based Super League clubs. Having a reserve team is a compulsory part of the minimum criteria to hold a Super League licence, but Catalans Dragons have dispensation to run their reserve team in the French Elite League for logistical reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan Massey (rugby league, born 1989)</span> English rugby league footballer

Nathan Massey is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or loose forward for Featherstone Rovers in the RFL Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Minikin</span> English professional rugby league footballer

Greg Minikin is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or centre for Featherstone Rovers in the RFL Championship and the England Knights at international level.

The 2018 RFL Women's Super League was the second season of the rugby league Women's Super League for female players in clubs affiliated to the Rugby Football League. The grand final was won by Wigan Warriors Women, who beat Leeds Rhinos Women 18–16 at the Grand Final at the Manchester Regional Arena. Wigan finished second to League Leaders Shield winners Leeds in the regular season.

The Rugby Football League Women's Super League is the elite women's rugby league club competition in England. Originally competed between four teams in the 2017 season, the league has developed with the 2023 season being contested by 12 teams playing home and away against each other in two groups with subsequent play-offs and Grand Final. In January 2023 it was announced that the league would be reduced to eight teams in the 2024 season.

Leeds Rhinos Women are a rugby league team based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The team is part of the Leeds Rhinos club and plays in the Women's Super League.

The Woman of Steel is an award in English rugby league. It is awarded to the player of the year in the Women's Super League; the winner is determined by a poll of the players in the Women's Super League.

Georgia Roche is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Women's Premiership. She plays at either stand-off, scrum-half or loose forward. She previously played for the Leeds Rhinos in the Rugby Football League Women's Super League.

Super League XXVI, known as the 2021 Betfred Super League XXVI for sponsorship reasons, was the 26th season of the Super League and 127th season of rugby league in Great Britain.

The 2021 RFL Women's Super League was the fifth season of the Rugby League Women's Super League for female players in clubs affiliated to the Rugby Football League (RFL).

This article details the Leeds Rhinos's rugby league football club's 2022 season. They were coached by Richard Agar until May 2022, Jamie Jones-Buchanan as an interim coach and Rohan Smith from April 2022 onwards. The Rhinos competed in both the 2022 Betfred Super League and the 2022 Challenge Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">York Valkyrie</span> English womens rugby league team, based in York

The York Valkyrie are the women's rugby league team of York RLFC based in York, England. The Valkyrie, who were established in 2016 as the York City Knights Ladies, compete in the Women's Super League and play their home games at York Community Stadium which is also home to the York RLFC men's team, the York Knights, and football club, York City F.C.

The 2023 RFL Women's Super League was the seventh season of the Women's Super League, for female players in clubs affiliated to the Rugby Football League (RFL).

The Featherstone Rovers Women are the women's rugby league team of Featherstone Rovers in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, England. They compete in the RFL Women's Super League and play their home games at Post Office Road which is also home to the men's team.

The Warrington Wolves Women are the women's rugby league team of Warrington Wolves in Warrington, Cheshire, England. They compete in the RFL Women's Super League, playing their home games at Victoria Park and some games at the Halliwell Jones Stadium; the home of the men's team.

Sinead Peach is a professional rugby league footballer who plays internationally for England and for York Valkyrie at domestic level.

The 2024 RFL Women's Super League is the eighth season of the Women's Super League, for female players in clubs affiliated to the Rugby Football League (RFL).

References

  1. "Leeds beat York to win Women's Grand Final". BBC Sport. 18 September 2022.
  2. "York City Knights claim Betfred Women's Super League Leaders' Shield". RFL. 28 August 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  3. "Saints win Women's Super League". BBC Sport. 10 October 2021.
  4. Gordon, James (2 November 2021). "Women's Super League to expand to 12 teams from 2022". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  5. "Women's Super League: Barrow Raiders and Leigh Miners Rangers join expanded 12-team competition for 2022". Sky Sports. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  6. "Statement: Castleford Tigers Women". www.rugby-league.com. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  7. "Forsell and Dodd join Stanley as 2022 BWSL Awards winners". RFL. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  8. "Women's Super League: York City Knights reach first Grand Final as Leeds Rhinos end St Helens' reign". Sky Sports. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  9. Darbyshire, Drew (18 September 2022). "York 4-12 Leeds: Rhinos crowned Women's Super League champions". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  10. "Women's Super League: Warrington Wolves to face Featherstone Rovers in Group 2 play-off final". TotalRL.com. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  11. "Warrington Wolves' women's team are officially promoted". Warrington Guardian. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.