2024 RFL Women's Championship | |
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The 2024 RFL Women's Championship (also known as the Betfred Women's Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the eighth season of the RFL Women's Championship and the first of its restructure and expansion to include teams from across the country.
The winner of the competition will enter a promotion play-off on 6 October with the last placed team of the 2024 RFL Women's Super League for a place in the 2025 Super League. [1] [2]
In January 2024, the RFL confirmed the nine clubs in the Northern Championship and four of the clubs in Southern Championship. [3] The teams in the Midlands Championship were announced in May. [4]
Northern | Midlands | Southern |
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The 2024 RFL Northern Women's Championship began on 2 March and concluded on 22 September, and comprised 18 regular season matchweeks and playoffs. [3] [5]
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Venue | |||
Salford Red Devils | 4–16 | Hull Kingston Rovers | 2 March | Salford Stadium |
Stanningley | 22–28 | Bradford Bulls | 3 March | Stanningley |
Oulton Raidettes | 6–26 | Leigh Leopards | 3 March | Oulton Raiders |
Castleford Tigers | C–C | Sheffield Eagles | Result given as a draw [lower-alpha 1] | |
Bye: Dewsbury Moor |
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Venue | |||
Bradford Bulls | 8–22 | Oulton Raidettes | 10 March | Bradford Bulls Women |
Leigh Leopards | 40–0 | Salford Red Devils | 10 March | Twist Lane |
Castleford Tigers | 0–42 | Dewsbury Moor | 10 March | Castleford Panthers |
Hull Kingston Rovers | 20–28 | Sheffield Eagles | 30 June [lower-alpha 1] | Dewsbury Moor |
Bye: Stanningley |
The 2024 Midlands Championship was played using a festival format and because of this the teams were ineligible for the National Championship Final. [3] The competition saw a soft launch in 2023 and was played between Cheltenham Phoenix, Coventry Bears, Leamington Royals, and Telford Raiders. [9] Nottingham Outlaws replaced Cheltenham in the schedule for the 2024 competition which began on 1 June and in which teams played two games on each of the three fixture days, followed by a finals day on 4 August. [4] [10] The final between Nottingham and Lemington was abandoned due to a significant player injury. Both teams were awarded the title. [11]
The 2024 Southern Championship acted as the next edition to the 2023 Super League South with the majority of clubs continuing in the new competition format. The competition started on 25 May [3] and concluded on 7 September with the Grand Final played at Cardiff University playing fields. [12]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | CAR | LON | ARM | BED | |
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1 | Cardiff Demons | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 246 | 66 | +180 | 10 | — | 22–0 | 52–6 | 72–8 | |
2 | London Broncos | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 218 | 50 | +168 | 10 | 18–14 | — | 48–8 | 48–0 | |
3 | Army | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 150 | 202 | −52 | 4 | 34–38 | 6–36 | — | 48–0 [lower-alpha 1] | |
4 | Bedford Tigers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 36 | 332 | −296 | −1 [lower-alpha 2] | 0–48 | 0–68 | 28–48 | — |
The Northern Championship semi-finals were played on 15 September. [2] Leigh Leopards, who won the League Leaders' Shield, advanced to the final after fourth-placed Oulton Raidettes forfeited their semi-final match, and second-placed Sheffield Eagles hosted third-placed Salford Red Devils. [12] [14]
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Venue | |||
Leigh Leopards | 48–0 [lower-alpha 1] | Oulton Raidettes | 15 September | Twist Lane |
Sheffield Eagles | 20–6 | Salford Red Devils | 15 September | Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park |
Source: |
The Northern Championship Grand Final was played on 22 September. [5]
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Venue | |||
Leigh Leopards | 46–6 | Sheffield Eagles | 22 September | Twist Lane |
Source: [6] |
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |
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Date | Venue | |||
London Broncos | 48–0 [lower-alpha 1] | Army | 18 August | Rosslyn Park |
Cardiff Demons | – | Bye | — | — |
Source: [6] |
The Southern Grand Final was played on 7 September at Cardiff University Playing Fields. In a repeat of the 2023 Super League South competition, London Broncos faced Cardiff Demons in the final and defeated them 28–8 to win the competition. [12] [15] [16]
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Venue | |||
Cardiff Demons | 8–28 | London Broncos | 7 September | Cardiff University Playing Fields |
Source: [6] [16] |
The Women's National Championship Final was played on 29 September by the winners of the Northern and Southern Championship. [5] Leigh Leopards defeated London Broncos 22–18 to win the title. [17]
Northern | Score | Southern | Match Information | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Venue | |||
Leigh Leopards | 22–18 | London Broncos | 29 September | Alexander Stadium, Birmingham [15] |
Source: [17] |
The Promotion Play-off Match will be contested by the winner of the Championship Grand Final and the last placed team of the 2024 RFL Women's Super League, and will take place on 6 October as a double-header with the Grand Final of the Super League. [5] [18] [19]
Super League | Score | Championship | Match Information | |
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Date | Venue | |||
Featherstone Rovers | – | Leigh Leopards | 6 October | Totally Wicked Stadium |
Source: |
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