2025 Women's Challenge Cup

Last updated

2025 Women's Challenge Cup
DurationGroup stage plus three knockout rounds
Number of teams12
Winners Wigan Warriors
Runners-up St Helens
Biggest home winSt Helens 102–0 Warrington Wolves
(12 April)
Biggest away winSheffield Eagles 0–104 Leeds Rhinos
(12 April)
Top point-scorer(s)Ruby Walker (Leeds Rhinos) (36)
Top try-scorer(s)Ebony Stead (Leeds Rhinos) (5)

The 2025 Women's Challenge Cup (sponsored as the Betfred Women's Challenge Cup) was the 13th staging of the Rugby Football League's cup competition for women's rugby league clubs.

Contents

Format

The competition used a slightly different format from 2024. Although the group stage plus knockout rounds format was retained, the number of teams in the competition was reduced from 16 to 12.

The group stage saw four groups of three competing in a single round robin with the group matches played over three consecutive weekends in April 2025. The group winners and runners-up advanced to the knockout rounds. The quarter-finals were played on the last weekend in April. The semi-finals were double headers with the semi-finals of the men's tournament on the weekend of 10/11 May 2025, and the final was played at Wembley Stadium, London on 7 June 2025 alongside the finals of the men's competition and the 1895 Cup.

St Helens, winners in 2024, were seeded together with Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors and York Valkyrie. These four, pool 2, were in different groups in the group stage. The other eight teams formed pool 1 with two being drawn in each group.

Seeding pots for group stage draw
Pool 1Pool 2

The draw for the group stages was made on 14 January. [1]

The groups were drawn as follows: [2]

Groups
Group AGroup BGroup CGroup D

Standings

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Saintscolours.svg St Helens 22001560+1564Advance to knock-out stages
2 Panthers colours.svg Cardiff Demons 21014268−262
3 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves 200214144−1300
Source: [3]

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 YorkRLFCcolours.png York Valkyrie 22001106+1044Advance to knock-out stages
2 Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield Giants 21013664−282
3 Fevcolours.svg Featherstone Rovers 20021490−760
Source: [3]

Group C

PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos 22001504+1464Advance to knock-out stages
2 Leigh colours.svg Leigh Leopards 21015246+62
3 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles 20020152−1520
Source: [3]

Group D

PosTeamPldWDLPFPAPDPtsQualification
1 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors 22001280+1284Advance to knock-out stages
2 Broncoscolours.png London Broncos 21012258−362
3 Barrowcolours.svg Barrow Raiders 200214106−920
Source: [3]

Fixtures and results

Group stage

The fixture list for the group stage was announced on 10 March 2025. [4]

Group stage: week one
GroupHomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
C Leeds Rhinos 46–4 Leigh Leopards 5 April, 13:00 Headingley Stadium S. Jenkinson
A Warrington Wolves 14–42 Cardiff Demons 6 April, 14:00Victoria ParkM. McKelvey
D Wigan Warriors 84–0 Barrow Raiders 6 April, 14:00Robin ParkA. Billington
B Huddersfield Giants 0–56 York Valkyrie 6 April, 15:00 Laund Hill A. Sweet
Source: [5]
Group stage: week two
GroupHomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
C Sheffield Eagles 0–104 [a] Leeds Rhinos 12 April, 12:30 Steel City Stadium O. Salmon
A St Helens 102–0 Warrington Wolves 12 April, 15:30 Totally Wicked Stadium L. Bland
B York Valkyrie 54–6 Featherstone Rovers 13 April, 12:00 York Community Stadium A. Belafonte
D London Broncos 0–44 Wigan Warriors 13 April, 14;00Chiswick Rugby ClubTyler Topping
Source: [7]
Group stage: week three
GroupHomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
B Featherstone Rovers 8–36 Huddersfield Giants 18 April, 20:00 Post Office Road N. Horton
A Cardiff Demons 0–54 St Helens 19 April, 14:30Cardiff UniversityL. Breheny
D Barrow Raiders 14–22 London Broncos 20 April, 12:00 Craven Park L. Seal
C Leigh Leopards 48–0 [b] Sheffield Eagles —
Source: [9]

Quarter-finals

The quarter-finals took place over the weekend of 26/27 April. [10]

Challenge Cup quarter-final fixtures
HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
St Helens 78–0 London Broncos 26 April, 12:00 Totally Wicked Stadium F. Lincoln
Leeds Rhinos 38–18 Huddersfield Giants 27 April, 12:00 Headingley Stadium L. Seal
York Valkyrie 52–0 Leigh Leopards 27 April, 12:00 York Community Stadium S. Jenkinson
Wigan Warriors 96–0 Cardiff Demons 27 April, 13:00Robin ParkA. Billington
Source: [11]

Semi-finals

The semi-finals were played over the weekend of 10/11 May and were double-headers with the men's semi-finals. [12] Both matches were broadcast live on the BBC iPlayer. [13]

Challenge Cup semi-final fixtures
HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
Leeds Rhinos 14–44 Wigan Warriors 10 May 2025, 12:00 York Community Stadium T. Jones8,402
York Valkyrie 6–10 St Helens 11 May 2025, 13:45 Totally Wicked Stadium A. Williams11,722
Source: [14]

Final

The final took place on Saturday 7 June 2025, as part of a triple header, alongside the Men's final, and the 1895 Cup final.

Challenge Cup Final
HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeAttendance
St Helens 6–42 Wigan Warriors 7 June; 11:45 Wembley Stadium A. Moore8,810
Source: [15]

Notes

  1. ↑ The referee ended the match early, after 60 minutes, due to injuries suffered by Sheffield, which left them with only nine available players. [6]
  2. ↑ Match forfeited by Sheffield Eagles. Awarded as a 48–0 win to Leigh Leopards. [8]

References

  1. ↑ Ibbetson, Stephen (8 January 2025). "Women's Challenge Cup format and teams revealed with draw date – Total Rugby League". Total RL. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  2. ↑ "Challenge Cup draw: Holders Wigan Warriors could face Sheffield Eagles in third round". BBC Sport. 14 January 2025. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Scoreboard: Week ending 20th April 2025". Rugby Leaguer & League Express . No. 3477. 21 April 2025. p. 30.
  4. ↑ "Group Stage fixtures confirmed for Betfred Women's Challenge Cup". www.rugby-league.com. RFL. 10 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  5. ↑ "Women's Challenge Cup – Group Stage". Rugby Leaguer & League Express . No. 3475. 7 April 2025. p. 20.
  6. ↑ McGhie, Keith (12 April 2025). "Leeds Rhinos earn record win as Challenge Cup match called off after 60 minutes – Total Rugby League". Total RL. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
  7. ↑ "Women's Challenge Cup – Group Stage". Rugby Leaguer & League Express . No. 3476. 14 April 2025. p. 23.
  8. ↑ "Statement – Leigh Leopards v Sheffield Eagles, Betfred Women's Challenge Cup". RFL. 17 April 2025. Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  9. ↑ "Women's Challenge Cup – Group Stage". Rugby Leaguer & League Express . No. 3477. 21 April 2025. p. 24.
  10. ↑ "Three teams a step closer to Wembley Stadium following another weekend of Betfred Women's Challenge Cup action". RFL. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
  11. ↑ "Women's Challenge Cup – Quarter Finals". Rugby Leaguer & League Express . No. 3478. 28 April 2025. pp. 24–25.
  12. ↑ "Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Semi-Finals confirmed". RFL. 27 April 2025. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  13. ↑ "Rugby League on TV | Listings | Challenge Cup | BBC". rugbyleagueontv. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  14. ↑ "Women's Challenge Cup – Semi Finals". Rugby Leaguer & League Express . No. 3480. 12 May 2025. pp. 14–15.
  15. ↑ "Wigan thrash Saints to win first Women's Challenge Cup". BBC Sport. 7 June 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
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