2023 Women's Challenge Cup

Last updated
2023 Women's Challenge Cup
DurationGroup stage plus three knockout rounds
Number of teams16
Broadcast partners BBC Sport
Biggest home winYork Valkyrie 122–0 Hull KR
(7 May 2023)
Biggest away winCastleford Tigers 0–106 St Helens
(7 May 2023)

The 2023 Women's Challenge Cup (known for sponsorship reasons as the 2023 Betfred Women's Challenge Cup) was the 11th staging of the Rugby Football League's cup competition for women's rugby league clubs.

Contents

Format

The competition used the same format as in 2022 with four groups of four competing in a single round robin with group winners and runners-up advancing to the knockout rounds. The group stage draw took place on 12 January. [1]

Groups
Group 1Group 2Group 3Group 4

Group stage

The fixture list for the group stage was published on 16 February 2023. [2]

Challenge Cup group fixtures week 1
GroupHomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueReferee
1 Salford Red Devils 8–22 Featherstone Rovers 23 April, 12:00 AJ Bell Stadium J. Pemberton
Cardiff Demons 20–38 Wigan Warriors 23 April, 14:00Cardiff University Sports FieldsR. Apsee
2 Leeds Rhinos 72–0 Bradford Bulls 23 April, 13:00Weetwood Sports ParkF. Lincoln
Oulton Raidettes 4–54 Huddersfield Giants 23 April, 14:00Oulton Sports PavilionM. Mckelvey
3 London Broncos 0–76 St Helens 22 April, 14:00The Rock, RoehamptonH. Winnard
Castleford Tigers 0–72 Warrington Wolves 23 April, 14:00 Mend-a-Hose Jungle A. Rhodes
4 Barrow Raiders 4–44 York Valkyrie 23 April, 14:00 Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness J. Hughes
Hull Kingston Rovers 16–38 Leigh Leopards 23 April; 14:00 Craven Park, Hull D. Frederick
Source: [3]
Challenge Cup group fixtures week 2
GroupHomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueReferee
1Featherstone Rovers10–12Wigan Warriors7 May; 12:00 Post Office Road C. Hughes
Salford Red Devils8–12Cardiff Demons7 May; 13:00 Moor Lane S. Houghton
2Bradford Bulls12–32Huddersfield Giants7 May; 14:00 Horsfall Stadium M. Clayton
Oulton Raidettes0–48 [a] Leeds Rhinos—
3Castleford Tigers0–106St Helens7 May; 14:00 Mend-a-Hose Jungle D. Geddes
Warrington Wolves64–10London Broncos7 May; 14:00Victoria ParkO. Ireland
4York Valkyrie122–0Hull Kingston Rovers7 May; 12:00 York Community Stadium B. Worsley
Leigh Leopards30–22Barrow Raiders7 May; 14:00Twist LaneL. Flavell
Source: [5]
Challenge Cup group fixtures week 3
GroupHomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueReferee
1Cardiff Demons36–18Featherstone Rovers21 May; 14:00Cardiff University Sports FieldsR. Apsee
Wigan Warriors60–0Salford Red Devils21 May; 14:00Robin ParkS. Houghton
2Huddersfield Giants0–54Leeds Rhinos21 May; 14:00Laund HillJ. Covell-Wood
Bradford Bulls38–6Oulton Raidettes21 May; 17:15 Odsal Stadium A. Rhodes
3London Broncos40–4Castleford Tigers21 May; 14:00The Rock, Roehampton
St Helens38–4Warrington Wolves21 May; 14:00 Totally Wicked Stadium L. Flavell
4Hull Kingston Rovers11–20 Barrow Raiders 21 May; 14:00 Craven Park, Hull
Leigh Leopards0–54York Valkyrie21 May; 14:00Twist Lane
Source: [6] [7] [8]

Standings

Group 1
PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 330011030+806Advance to knock-out stages
2 Panthers colours.svg Cardiff Demons 32016864+44
3 Fevcolours.svg Featherstone Rovers 31025056−62
4 Redscolours.svg Salford Red Devils 30031694−780
Source: [ citation needed ]
Group 2
PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 33001740+1746Advance to knock-out stages
2 Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants 32018670+164
3 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 310250110−602
4 Oultoncolours.png Oulton Raidettes 300310140−1300
Source: [ citation needed ]
Group 3
PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Saintscolours.svg St Helens 33002204+2166Advance to knock-out stages
2 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 320114048+924
3 Broncoscolours.png London Broncos 310250144−942
4 Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers 30034218−2140
Source: [ citation needed ]


Group 4
PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 YorkRLFCcolours.png York Valkyrie 33002244+2206Advance to knock-out stages
2 Leigh colours.svg Leigh Leopards 32016896−284
3 Barrowcolours.svg Barrow Raiders 31024685−392
4 HKRcolours.svg Hull Kingston Rovers 300327180−1530
Source: [ citation needed ]

Quarter-finals

The draw for the quarter-finals was made live on BBC Radio Five, on 26 May. [9] Ties took place over the weekend of 17–18 June.

Challenge Cup quarter-final fixtures
HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 54–0 Leigh colours.svg Leigh Leopards 17 June, 13:00 Headingley Stadium
Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 46–10 Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants 18 June, 11:30Robin Park Arena
Saintscolours.svg St Helens 36–0 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 18 June, 12:30 Totally Wicked Stadium
YorkRLFCcolours.png York Valkyrie 54–0 Panthers colours.svg Cardiff Demons 18 June, 14:00 York Community Stadium
Source: [10]

Semi-finals

Ties took place over the weekend of 22–23 July, each being part of a double header with one of the men's semi-finals; St Helens v York was played with the Leigh v St Helens men's game and Wigan v Leeds was played with the Hull KR v Wigan men's game. Both of the women's matches were broadcast live on the BBC Sport website. [11]

Challenge Cup semi-final fixtures
Team AScoreTeam BMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
Saintscolours.svg St Helens 17–16 YorkRLFCcolours.png York Valkyrie 22 July, 11:45 Halliwell Jones Stadium A. Belafonte12,113 [b]
Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 4–16 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 23 July, 14:15 Headingley E. Burrow10,926 [c]
Source: [12]

Final

On 12 August 2022, the RFL announced that the Women's Challenge Cup Final would make its Wembley debut, and be played as a double header with the men's final. The final was played on 12 August 2023. [13]

Challenge Cup Final
Team 1ScoreTeam 2Match Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 8–22 Saintscolours.svg St Helens 12 August 2023, 12:00 Wembley Stadium J. Vella
Source: [14]

Broadcast matches

RoundMatchDateBroadcast method
FinalLeeds Rhinos v St Helens12 August 2023Broadcast live on BBC Two

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Match forfeited by Oulton as they were unable to raise a team. [4] Under the RFL operational rules the match is recorded as a 48–0 win to the non-forfeiting team.
  2. ↑ attendance combined for both the women's and the men's games.
  3. ↑ attendance combined for both the women's and the men's games.

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References

  1. ↑ "Challenge Cup 2023: Draw details for women's and men's competitions as St Helens and Wigan Warriors defend titles". Sky Sports. 12 January 2023.
  2. ↑ "Betfred Women's Challenge Cup: Our League to stream Cardiff Demons versus Wigan Warriors". RFL. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Women's Challenge Cup: Round-up". Rugby Leaguer & League Express . No. 3376. 24 April 2023. pp. 24–25.
  4. ↑ "Challenge Cup tie awarded to Leeds Rhinos after opponents fail to raise a team". Yorkshire Evening Post. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "Women's Challenge Cup Round-up | Sunday 7 May". RFL. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Cardiff Demons join big guns in Cup Quarter-Final draw". RFL. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  7. ↑ "Hull KR Women 11 – 20 Barrow". Sky Sports. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  8. ↑ "Bradford 28 – 6 Oulton Raidettes". Sky Sports. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  9. ↑ "BBC Radio 5 Live to broadcast Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Quarter Final draw". RFL. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Quarter Finals Round-Up". RFL. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  11. ↑ "Venues and broadcast details confirmed for Betfred Challenge Cup Semi-Finals". www.rugby-league.com. RFL. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Final Preview". RFL. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  13. ↑ "Challenge Cup final to return to Wembley in 2023". BBC Sport. 12 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Women's Challenge Cup final: Leeds Rhinos 8-22 St Helens - Saints win third title in first-ever Wembley final". BBC Sport. 12 August 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
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