The 2018 RFL Women's Super League was the second season of the rugby league Women's Super League for female players in clubs affiliated to the Rugby Football League. The grand final was won by Wigan Warriors Women, who beat Leeds Rhinos Women 18–16 at the Grand Final at the Manchester Regional Arena. Wigan finished second to League Leaders Shield winners Leeds in the regular season.
The defending champions were Bradford Bulls Women, but they failed to make the play-offs in 2018.
At the end of the regular season, the top four teams met in the play-off semi-finals. First placed Leeds beat fourth placed Castleford, while second placed Wigan beat St Helens who finished third. The winners met in the Grand Final at the Manchester Regional Arena on 13 October.
Teams
Two of the seven teams are newly formed for this season, one is renamed and the other four were in existence before 2018.
Colours Club Location Notes Bradford Bulls Women Bradford, West Yorkshireinaugural champions in 2017. Castleford Tigers Women Castleford, West Yorkshire Featherstone Rovers Ladies Featherstone, West Yorkshire Leeds Rhinos Women Leeds, West YorkshireNewly formed for 2018. St Helens R.F.C. Women St Helens, MerseysidePreviously known as Thatto Heath Ladies. Wigan Warriors Women Wigan, Greater ManchesterNewly formed for 2018. York City Knights Ladies York, North Yorkshire
Fixtures and results The fixtures are organised into 14 rounds, with each team only having 12 fixtures this means that every team will have a bye in two rounds of the competition.
Round 1 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee St Helens 40–0 York City Knights 15 April 2018, 2:00pm Ruskin Drive Sports Ground Bradford Bulls 16–32 Leeds Rhinos 15 April 2018, 2:00pm Odsal Stadium S. Ellis Wigan Warriors 54–0 Featherstone Rovers 15 April 2018, 2:00pm Robin Park Arena Source: Bye: Castleford Tigers
Round 2 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Featherstone Rovers 6–36 Leeds Rhinos 9 May 2018, 7:30pm L.D. Nutrition Stadium Bradford Bulls 4–42 St Helens 22 April 2018, 2:00pm Provident Stadium York City Knights 0–62 Castleford Tigers 22 April 2018, 12:00 Nestle Rowntree Sports Park Source: Bye: Wigan Warriors
Round 3 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Castleford Tigers40–16 Bradford Bulls 29 April 2018, 2:00pm Willowbridge Lane St Helens40–14 Featherstone Rovers 29 April 2018, 2:00pm Hattons Solicitors Crusaders Park A Billington Wigan Warriors14–20 Leeds Rhinos 29 April 2018, 2:00pm Robin Park Arena Source: Bye: York City Knights
Round 4 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Featherstone Rovers 32–38 Castleford Tigers 13 May 2018, 2:00pm L.D. Nutrition Stadium Bradford Bulls 72–10 York City Knights 13 May 2018, 2:00pm Odsal Stadium Wigan Warriors 16–6 St Helens 13 May 2018, 2:00pm Robin Park Arena R Stansfield Source: Bye: Leeds Rhinos
Round 5 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Castleford Tigers 14–14 Wigan Warriors 6 May 2018, 2:00pm Willowbridge Lane N Pascall St Helens 20–14 Leeds Rhinos 20 May 2018, 2:00pm Ruskin Drive Sports Ground York City Knights 12–40 Featherstone Rovers 20 May 2018, 2:00pm Bootham Crescent Source: Bye: Bradford Bulls
Round 6 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Leeds Rhinos40–12 Castleford Tigers 27 May 2018, 2:00pm Headingley Scott Fernandez Featherstone Rovers 22–46 Bradford Bulls 26 May 2018, 12:30pm Bloomfield Road Nick Pascall Wigan Warriors 50–0 York City Knights 10 June 2018, 2:00pm Robin Park Arena Aaron Moore Source: Bye: St Helens
Round 7 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Castleford Tigers 14–14 St Helens 17 June 2018, 2:00pm Mend-A-Hose Jungle Bradford Bulls 10–34 Wigan Warriors 17 June 2018, 2:00pm Odsal Stadium Leeds Rhinos 80–0 York City Knights 17 June 2018, 2:00pm Weetwood Sports Park Source: Bye: Featherstone Rovers
Round 8 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee York City Knights 6–26 St Helens 24 June 2018, 2:00pm Leeds Rhinos 30–10 Bradford Bulls 24 June 2018, 2:00pm Weetwood Sports Park Scott Fernandez Featherstone Rovers 20–31 Wigan Warriors 24 June 2018, 2:00pm L.D. Nutrition Stadium Source: Bye: Castleford Tigers
Round 9 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Leeds Rhinos 70–6 Featherstone Rovers 8 July 2018, 2:00pm St Helens 42–12 Bradford Bulls 8 July 2018, 2:00pm Ruskin Drive Castleford Tigers 40–10 York City Knights 8 July 2018, 2:00pm Source: Bye: Wigan Warriors
Round 10 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Bradford Bulls 28–16 Castleford Tigers 12 August 2018, 2:00pm Odsal Stadium J. Powell Featherstone Rovers 10–42 St Helens 12 August 2018, 2:00pm Leeds Rhinos 22–23 Wigan Warriors 12 August 2018, 2:00pm Source: Bye: York City Knights
Round 11 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee St Helens 10–14 Wigan Warriors 19 August 2018, 2:00pm York City Knights 8–38 Bradford Bulls 19 August 2018, 2:00pm Castleford Tigers 34–8 Featherstone Rovers 23 September 2018, 2:00pm Castleford RUFC Source: Bye: Leeds Rhinos
Round 12 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Wigan Warriors 10–12 Castleford Tigers 9 September 2018, 2:00pm Leeds Rhinos 12–6 St Helens 9 September 2018, 2:00pm Featherstone Rovers 12–20 York City Knights 9 September 2018, 2:00pm Source: Bye: Bradford Bulls
Round 13 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Bradford Bulls 32–10 Featherstone Rovers 16 September 2018, 2:00pm Odsal Stadium Castleford Tigers 20–32 Leeds Rhinos 16 September 2018, 2:00pm Castleford RUFC S. Fernandez York City Knights 6–38 Wigan Warriors 16 September 2018, 2:00pm Source: Bye: St Helens
Round 14 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee St Helens24–14 Castleford Tigers28 September 2018, 2:00pmTotally Wicked StadiumS. Houghton Wigan Warriors26–8 Bradford Bulls30 September 2018, 2:00pmRobin Park Arena York City Knights8–50 Leeds Rhinos30 September 2018, 2:00pm Source: Bye: Featherstone Rovers
Regular season standings
Play-offs Semi-finals HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Leeds Rhinos 24–10 Castleford Tigers 7 October 2018, 1:00pm Weetwood Sports Village R. Stansfield Wigan Warriors 10–6 St Helens 7 October 2018, 2:00pm Robin Park Arena Source:
Grand final
Leeds RhinosPositionWigan Warriors Caitlin Beevers FB Rebecca Greenfield Suze Hill WG Alison Burrows Charlotte Booth CE Rachel Thompson Sophie Robinson CE Georgia Wilson Madison Laverick WG Michelle Davis Hanna Butcher SO Gemma Walsh Courtney Hill SH Sarah Harrison Amy Johnson PR Hannah Goodburn Rhiannion Marshall HK Claire Hall Dannielle Anderson PR Chloe Hammond Aimee Staveley SR Amanda Sibbald Manina Spurr SR Vanessa Temple Shannon Lacey LF Joanie Alpin Frankie Townend IN Holly Speakman Sophie Nuttall IN Charlotte Foley Chloe Kerrigan IN Lucy Baggaley Ellie Oldroyd IN Gemma Hennessey
The Grand Final was played at the Manchester Regional Arena on 13 October 2018. Neither team existed when the inaugural Grand Final was played in 2017. Leeds were seeking to complete the treble (League Leaders Shield, Challenge Cup and Grand Final winners) in their first season while Wigan were seeking their first ever trophy.
Leeds scored first, when Rhiannion Marshall scored a try from close range, Courtney Hill added the conversion. Wigan hit back a few minutes later when (Rachel Thompson scored their first try. The first half remained 6–4 to Leeds until shortly before half-time, when Thompson scored her, and Wigan's second try to make the half-time score 8–6 to Wigan.
In the second half Georgia Wilson extended Wigan's lead to 12–6 and Thompson completed her hat trick to put Wigan further ahead 16–6. Leeds struck back with a Caitlin Beevers solo effort, covering 80 metres from a 20-metre restart, Courtney Hill added the extra two points. With the score at 12–16, Leeds equalised as Suze Hill scored with only three minutes left to play. The conversion attempt was missed, and in stoppage time, Wigan were awarded a penalty which Charlotte Foley kicked to give Wigan victory by 18 points to 16.
End of season awards Georgia Roche (Castleford Tigers) was named as the inaugural Woman of Steel at the end of season awards.
References
External links WOMEN AND GIRLS RUGBY LEAGUE