2019 RFL Women's Super League

The 2019 RFL Women's Super League known as the Betfred Women's Super League for sponsorship reasons was the third season of the Rugby League Women's Super League for female players in clubs affiliated to the Rugby Football League.

2019 Women's Super League
Duration	14 rounds
Teams	8
Matches played	59
Champions	Leeds Rhinos
League Leaders Shield	Castleford Tigers
Biggest home win	Castleford Tigers 74–8 Featherstone Rovers (1 September 2019)
Biggest away win	York City Knights 0–80 Castleford Tigers Women (7 April 2019)
Woman of Steel	Courtney Hill
← 2018 2020 →

The champions were Leeds Rhinos who beat Castleford Tigers 20–12 in the Grand Final on 11 October 2019.^[1] Castleford Tigers won the league leaders shield, a 44–0 win over York City Knights in round 13 put them three points clear of nearest rivals, St Helens, with a round to spare.^[2]

For 2019, the number of teams was expanded from seven to eight, with the addition of Wakefield Trinity to the league.^[3]

The season comprised 14 rounds, with each team playing each other home and away, commencing on 7 April and ending on 29 September. Following the regular season, the top four teams played off against each other in two semi-finals, with the Grand Final played on Friday 11 October, at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens and broadcast live on Sky Sports.^[4]

On 15 August 2019 it was announced that Betfred would become the sponsors of the league with immediate effect in a deal that will run until the end of the 2021 season.^[5]

The defending champions were Wigan Warriors, who beat League Leaders Shield winners Leeds Rhinos, 18–16 at the Grand Final at the Manchester Regional Arena.^[6] Wigan were eliminated from the play-offs after they lost 34–4 to Castleford Tigers in the semifinals.

Teams

Colours	Club	Location
	Bradford Bulls	Bradford, West Yorkshire
	Castleford Tigers	Castleford, West Yorkshire
	Featherstone Rovers	Featherstone, West Yorkshire
	Leeds Rhinos	Leeds, West Yorkshire
	St Helens	St Helens, Merseyside
	Wakefield Trinity	Wakefield, West Yorkshire
	Wigan Warriors	Wigan, Greater Manchester
	York City Knights	York, North Yorkshire

Fixtures and results

Round 1

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Bradford Bulls	38–16	Featherstone Rovers	7 April 2019, 12:45pm	Odsal Stadium
Leeds Rhinos	54–4	Wakefield Trinity	7 April 2019, 1:00pm	Sports Park, Weetwood
Wigan Warriors	4–6	St Helens	7 April 2019, 1:00pm	Robin Park Arena
York City Knights	0–80	Castleford Tigers	7 April 2019, 2:00pm	York St John University Sports Park
Source:[7]

Round 2

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Featherstone Rovers	16–24	Leeds Rhinos	14 April 2019, 1:30pm	LD Nutrition Stadium
Wigan Warriors	14–36	Castleford Tigers	14 April 2019, 2:00pm	Orrell St James
York City Knights	6–10	Wakefield Trinity	14 April 2019, 2:00pm	York St John University Sports Park
St Helens	24–0	Bradford Bulls	22 April 2019, 12:00pm	Totally Wicked Stadium
Source:[8]

Round 3

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Bradford Bulls	60–6	Wakefield Trinity	28 April 2019, 12:30pm	Odsal Stadium
Castleford Tigers	27–0	Leeds Rhinos	28 April 2019, 1:00pm	Mend-A-Hose Jungle
York City Knights	0–62	Wigan Warriors	28 April 2019, 2:00pm	York St John University Sports Park
St Helens	54–16	Featherstone Rovers	28 April 2019, 5:45pm	Totally Wicked Stadium
Source:[9]

Round 4

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Wigan Warriors	4–12	Leeds Rhinos	12 May 2019, 1:00pm	Robin Park Arena
Castleford Tigers	30–14	St Helens	12 May 2019, 2:00pm	Mend-A-Hose Jungle
Wakefield Trinity	8–40	Featherstone Rovers	12 May 2019, 2:00pm	The Mobile Rocket Stadium
York City Knights	4–38	Bradford Bulls	12 May 2019, 2:00pm	York St John University Sports Park
Source:[10]

Round 5

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
York City Knights	0–50	Leeds Rhinos	2 June 2019, 12:00pm	York St John University Sports Park
Wakefield Trinity	0–66	St Helens	2 June 2019, 2:00pm	Mobile Rocket Stadium
Wigan Warriors	42–4	Featherstone Rovers	2 June 2019, 2:00pm	Robin Park Arena
Bradford Bulls	22–42	Castleford Tigers	6 June 2019, 7:30pm	Odsal Stadium
Source:[11]

Round 6

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Bradford Bulls	6–18	Leeds Rhinos	30 June 2019, 12:30pm	Odsal Stadium
Wakefield Trinity	6–44	Wigan Warriors	30 June 2019, 1:00pm	Mobile Rocket Stadium
Featherstone Rovers	20–46	Castleford Tigers	30 June 2019, 2:00pm	LD Nutrition Stadium
St Helens	60–6	York City Knights	30 June 2019, 3:00pm	Totally Wicked Stadium
Source:[12]

Round 7

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Leeds Rhinos	16–30	St Helens	21 July 2019, 12:30pm	Headingley
Bradford Bulls	16–20	Wigan Warriors	21 July 2019, 1:00pm	Odsal Stadium
Castleford Tigers	54–8	Wakefield Trinity	21 July 2019, 5:00pm	Mend-A-Hose Jungle
Featherstone Rovers	18–16	York City Knights	22 September 2019, 2:00pm	LD Nutrition Stadium
Source:[13][14]

Round 8

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Castleford Tigers	50–16	Bradford Bulls	4 August 2019, 1:00pm	Mend-A-Hose Jungle
Featherstone Rovers	18–16	Wigan Warriors	4 August 2019, 1:00pm	LD Nutrition Stadium
Leeds Rhinos	30–0[a]	York City Knights	4 August 2019, 1:00pm	Sports Park, Weetwood
St Helens	60–0	Wakefield Trinity	4 August 2019, 5:00pm	Totally Wicked Stadium
Source:[16]

1. Match abandoned after 39 minutes due to Sophie Robinson suffering a serious leg injury. The score at the time was 30–0, after consultation with both clubs the RFL decided not to order the game to be replayed with the score at the time of abandonment to stand as the result.^[15]

Round 9

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Bradford Bulls	18–32	St Helens	11 August 2019, 1:00pm	Odsal Stadium
Castleford Tigers	56–8	Wigan Warriors	11 April 2019, 1:00pm	Mend-A-Hose Jungle
Leeds Rhinos	52–0	Featherstone Rovers	11 August 2019, 1:00pm	Sports Park, Westwood
Wakefield Trinity	4–20	York City Knights	11 August 2019, 2:00pm	Sharlston Rovers
Source:[17]

Round 10

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Leeds Rhinos	26–36	Castleford Tigers	17 August 2019, 1:00pm	Emerald Headingley
Wakefield Trinity	4–48	Bradford Bulls	18 August 2019, 1:00pm	The Mobile Rocket Stadium
Featherstone Rovers	7–50	St Helens	18 August 2019, 2:00pm	L D Nutrition Stadium
Wigan Warriors	42–0	York City Knights	18 August 2019, 2:00pm	Robin Park Arena
Source:[18]

Round 11

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Castleford Tigers	74–8	Featherstone Rovers	1 September 2019, 1:00pm	Mend-A-Hose Jungle
York City Knights	0–56	St Helens	1 September 2019, 1:00pm	York St John University
Wigan Warriors	52–6	Wakefield Trinity	1 September 2019, 2:00pm	Robin Park Arena
Source:[19]

Round 12

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Wakefield Trinity	4–36	Castleford Tigers	8 September 2019, 1:00pm	The Mobile Rocket Stadium
Wigan Warriors	20–20	Bradford Bulls	8 September 2019, 2:00pm	Robin Park Arena
York City Knights	16–26	Featherstone Rovers	8 September 2019, 2:00pm	York St John University
St Helens	20–20	Leeds Rhinos	8 September 2019, 3:00pm	Ruskin Park
Source:[20]

Round 13

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Wakefield Trinity	4–66	Leeds Rhinos	14 September 2019, 1:00pm	The Mobile Rocket Stadium
Featherstone Rovers	22–14	Bradford Bulls	15 September 2019, 2:00pm	L D Nutrition Stadium
St Helens	28–0	Wigan Warriors	15 September 2019, 2:00pm	Ruskin Park
Castleford Tigers	44–0	York City Knights	17 September 2019, 7:00pm	Mend-A-Hose Jungle
Source:[21]

Round 14

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue
Featherstone Rovers	26–0	Wakefield Trinity	29 September 2019, 1:00pm	LD Nutrition Stadium
Bradford Bulls	P–P[a]	York City Knights	29 September 2019, 2:00pm	Neil Hunt Memorial Ground
Leeds Rhinos	16–0	Wigan Warriors	29 September 2019, 2:15pm	Weetwood Sports Park
St Helens	20–14	Castleford Tigers	29 September 2019, 3:00pm	Ruskin Park
Source:[22]

1. match postponed, pitch unplayable due to heavy rain

Play-off semi-finals

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue	Referee
Castleford Tigers	34–4	Wigan Warriors	6 October 2019, 13:00	Mend-A-Hose Jungle
St Helens	14–18	Leeds Rhinos	6 October 2019, 13:00	Totally Wicked Stadium	A. Moore
Source:[23]

Grand final

11 October 2019 19:30

Castleford Tigers	12–20	Leeds Rhinos
Tries: Lumb, Owen, Gentles Goals: Stanley 0/3	report	Tries: Goldthorp 2, Eatock, Frain Goals: Hill 2/4

Totally Wicked Stadium Attendance: 1,673 Referee: Greg Dolan

Castleford Tigers	Position	Leeds Rhinos
#1 Tara Stanley	Fullback	#1 Caitlin Beevers
#16 Maisie Lumb	Wing	#15 Sophie Nuttall
#24 Lucy Eastwood	Centre	#30 Abby Eatock
#12 Lacey Owen	Centre	#16 Chloe Karrigan
#4 Kelsey Gentles	Wing	#24 Fran Goldthorp
#6 Georgia Roche	Stand-off	#6 Hannah Butcher
#33 Jasmine Cudjoe	Scrum-half	#7 Courtney Hill (c)
#10 Grace Field	Prop	#10 Danielle Anderson
#9 Sinead Peach	Hooker	#14 Tasha Gaines
#68 Shona Hoyle	Prop	#13 Amy Johnson
#28 Hollie Dodd	Second-row	#11 Aimee Staveley
#11 Tamzin Renouf	Second-row	#4 Charlotte Booth
#13 Rhiannon Marshall	Loose forward	#28 Paige Webster
#14 Sammy Watts	interchange	#27 Keara Bennett
#8 Emma Lumley	interchange	#19 Elle Frain
#31 Frankie Townend	interchange	#8 Danika Priim
#44 Emma Slowe	interchange	#22 Elle Oldroyd

Leeds completed a league and cup double with 20–12 victory over Castleford in the Grand Final on 11 October 2019. In a game televised live on Sky Sports Castleford took an early advantage with two tries in the first five minute; the scorers being Maisie Lumb and Lacey Owen. Leeds pulled a try back through Abby Eatock and these were the only points of the first half with the half-time score being 8–4 to Castleford.

In the second half, it was Leeds who proved to be the stronger side with three tries in close succession, two for 16-year old winger Fran Goldthorp and one for Elle Frain. Leeds captain Courtney Hill converted two of the tries to give Leeds a 20–8 lead. Kelsey Gentles did score a late try for Castleford to make the score 20–12 but it was too late for Castleford to catch up.^[24]

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Castleford Tigers	14	13	0	1	625	160	+465	26	League Leaders Shield/Play off semi-finals
2	St Helens	14	12	1	1	522	131	+391	25	Play-off semi-finals
3	Leeds Rhinos	14	10	1	3	410	151	+259	21
4	Wigan Warriors	14	6	1	7	328	224	+104	13
5	Featherstone Rovers	14	6	0	8	237	450	−213	12
6	Bradford Bulls	13	4	1	8	300	282	+18	9
7	York City Knights	13	1	0	12	68	522	−454	2
8	Wakefield Trinity	14	1	0	13	64	634	−570	2

Source: