2023 Women's Challenge Cup final

Last updated

2023 (2023) Women's Challenge Cup Final  ()
Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos Saintscolours.svg St Helens
822
12Total
Rhinoscolours.svg LEE448
Saintscolours.svg ST H16622
Date12 August 2023, 12:00
Stadium Wembley Stadium
LocationLondon, United Kingdom
Player of the Match Jodie Cunningham (St Helens)
God Save The King and Abide with Me Lizzie Jones [1]
Referee James Vella
Attendance8,338 [2]
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators
←  2022
2024  →

The 2023 Women's Challenge Cup Final was the 11th final of the Rugby Football League's Women's Challenge Cup knock-out competition. The 2023 final marked the first time the final of the Women's Challenge Cup had been played at Wembley. The final was a repeat of the 2022 final with defending champions St Helens taking on last season's runners-up Leeds Rhinos. [3] [4]

Contents

The cup was won by St Helens, who won their third consecutive cup final, defeating Leeds Rhinos 22–8. St Helens captain, Jodie Cunningham was named player of the match.

For the first time in its history, both the women's and men's final took place at Wembley Stadium on the same day – 12 August 2023. [5] [6]

Background

St Helens are two times defending champions of the Challenge Cup having won in 2021 and 2022. They also won the tournament four times in a row between 2013 and 2016. Upon gaining their place in the final St Helens were second in Super League behind their semi-final opponents York Valkyrie.

Leeds Rhinos entered the final aiming to avenge their 2022 defeat to St Helens. They last won the competition in 2019 retaining it after their 2018 victory. Upon qualification Leeds were in third place in Super League, one place and one point behind St Helens.

Route to the final

St Helens

RoundOppositionVenueScore
Group Stage Broncoscolours.png London Broncos The Rock76–0
Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers Wheldon Road 106–0
Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves Totally Wicked Stadium 36–4
Quarter-final Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves Totally Wicked Stadium 36–0
Semi-final YorkRLFCcolours.png York Valkyrie Halliwell Jones Stadium 17–16

Leeds Rhinos

RoundOppositionVenueScore
Group Stage Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls Weetwood Sports Park72–0
Oultoncolours.png Oulton Raidettes Oulton forefitted game
Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants Laund Hill54–0
Quarter-final Leigh colours.svg Leigh Leopards Headingley 54–0
Semi-final Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors Headingley 16–4

Source: [3]

Match details

Saturday, 12 August
12:00 (BST)
Leeds Rhinos Rhinoscolours.svg 8–22 Saintscolours.svg St Helens
Tries: Robinson (25')
Beevers (43')
 report
Tries: Jones (13')
Hook (15')
Partington (18')
Hoyle (47')
Goals: Taylor (3/5) 13', 15', 64' (penalty)
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 8,338
Referee: James Vella
Touch judges: Ryan Cox, Denton Arnold
Player of the Match: Jodie Cunningham
Team details
Leeds RhinosPositionSt Helens
NameNumberNumberName
Ruby Enright31 Fullback 6Zoe Harris
Sophie Nuttall5 Wing 28Phoebe Hook
Hanna Butcher (c)4 Centre 11Paige Travis
Caitlin Beevers 3 Centre 2Luci McColm
Sophie Robinson2 Wing 3Eboni Partington
Caitlin Casey26 Stand off 21Amy Taylor
Jenna Greening24 Scrum half 7Faye Gaskin
Dannielle Anderson Sub off.svg 19'10 Prop forward 10Chantelle Crowl
Jasmine Cudjoe Sub off.svg 34'Sub on.svg 58'15 Hooker 9 Tara Jones
Zoe Hornby Sub off.svg 36'Sub on.svg 58'8 Prop forward 17Philippa Birchall
Lucy Murray28 Second row 8Shona Hoyle
Amy Hardcastle 11 Second row 12 Emily Rudge
Bethan Dainton12 Loose forward 13 Jodie Cunningham (c)
Elle Frain Sub on.svg 36'Sub off.svg 58'19 Interchange 4Naomi Williams
Eloise Hayward21 Interchange 14Vicky Whitfield
Tara Moxon Sub on.svg 34'Sub off.svg 58'20 Interchange 15Lucie Sams
Izzy Northrop Sub on.svg 19'18 Interchange 19Katie Mottershead
Bethany Lockwood16 Concussion substitute 1Rebecca Rotheram
Lois Forsell Coach Matty Smith

Post match

Following both the women's and men's challenge cup final, Wembley will host the Year 7 boys schools' final and the final of the 2023 1895 Cup. [7] The 1895 Cup Final saw Halifax Panthers beat Batley Bulldogs 12–10. [8] The men's final saw Leigh Leopards beat Hull KR 17–16. [9]

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References

  1. ↑ Pattison, Cam (11 August 2023). "Wife of former rugby league player to sing Abide With Me". Rugby League News. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  2. ↑ "Challenge Cup 2023 final attendance revealed with motorway impacting supporters; Women's game enjoys record crowd". LoveRugbyLeague. 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Challenge Cup final 2023: Talking points for rugby league's historic women's and men's Wembley showpiece". Sky Sports. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  4. ↑ Bower, Aaron (9 August 2023). "Wembley Challenge Cup final another giant step for women's rugby league" . Retrieved 12 August 2023– via The Guardian.
  5. ↑ "Challenge Cup final to return to Wembley in 2023". BBC Sport.
  6. ↑ "Wembley to host Challenge Cup final double-header in 2023". LoveRugbyLeague. 12 August 2022.
  7. ↑ "1895 Cup: The eight clubs that can move within 80 minutes of Wembley". LoveRugbyLeague. 20 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "Listen: 1895 Cup final - Batley Bulldogs v Halifax Panthers". BBC Sport. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  9. ↑ "Leigh beat Hull KR in epic Challenge Cup final". BBC Sport. 12 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
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