Leeds Rhinos Women Explained
| Clubname: | Leeds Rhinos Women |
| Fullname: | Leeds Rhinos Women Rugby League Football Club |
| Nickname: | The Rhinos |
| Short Name: | Leeds |
| Colours: | Blue and Amber |
| Web: | therhinos.co.uk |
| Ground: | Headingley Stadium, Leeds |
| Capacity: | 19,700 |
| Position: | 3rd |
| Current: | 2024 RFL Women's Super League |
| Cup1titles: | 2 |
| Cup2: | Women's Challenge Cups |
| Cup2titles: | 2 |
| Cup3: | League Leaders Shield |
| Cup3titles: | 1 |
| Cup3years: | 2018 |
Leeds Rhinos Women are a rugby league team based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The team is part of the Leeds Rhinos club and plays in the Women's Super League.
They were the RFL Women's Super League champions in 2019 and 2022, and from 2023 they became the first semi-professional women's rugby league team in the UK.[1]
History
The team was formed in September 2017 with the aid of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation.[2] In December 2017 Rhino's forward, Adam Cuthbertson was appointed coach and Lois Forsell was named as captain in March 2018.[3] [4]
In the team's first season, they won the Women's Challenge Cup beating Castleford Tigers 20–14 in the final, at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, on 4 August 2018.[5]
They successfully retained their title, after beating Castleford Tigers 16–10 in the final, at the University of Bolton Stadium, on 28 July 2019; in a repeat of the 2018 final.[6] In October they beat Castleford again 20–12 to win the Grand Final.[7]
Lois Forsell missed the 2019 season and was succeeded as captain by Courtney Winfield-Hill.[8] Forsell succeeded Cuthbertson as coach in February 2020.[9]
Winfield-Hill retired at the end of the 2022 season and was succeeded as captain by Hanna Butcher.[10]
Seasons
| Season | League | Play-offs | Challenge Cup |
|---|
| Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos |
|---|
| 2018 | | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 438 | 139 | 20 | | Lost in Grand Final | W |
|---|
| 2019 | | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 410 | 151 | 21 | | Won in Grand Final | W |
|---|
| 2020 | Super League | colspan="10" |
|---|
| 2021 | Super League | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 434 | 82 | 22 | | Lost in Grand Final | SF |
|---|
| 2022 | | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 320 | 116 | 10 | | Won in Grand Final | RU |
|---|
| 2023 | | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 396 | 136 | 13 | | Lost in Grand Final | RU | |
|---|
Honours
League
Winners (2): 2019, 2022
Runners-up (1): 2018
League Leaders' Shield
Winners (1): 2018
Runners-up (1): 2021
Cups
Winners (2): 2018,[11] 2019[12]
Runners-up (3): 2022,[13] 2023,[14] 2024[15]
Winners (1): 2023[16]
Runners-up (1): 2022,[17] 2024[18]
Notes and References
- Web site: Leeds Rhinos to make history in 2023 by paying women's players bonuses and meritocratic payments for success. Sky Sports. 12 November 2022.
- News: Leeds Rhinos launch women’s rugby league team . . 21 September 2018 . 27 August 2018.
- News: Super League winner Adam Cuthbertson to coach York City Knights Ladies' rivals Leeds Rhinos Women . . 4 December 2017 . 27 August 2018.
- Web site: Lois Forsell named as first ever captain of Leeds Rhinos Women’s team . Yorkshire Evening Post . 8 March 2018 . 27 August 2018.
- News: Rhinos fightback for the Cup . . 3,133 . 6 August 2018 . 14.
- News: Women's Challenge Cup final: Castleford Tigers 10-16 Leeds Rhinos . BBC Sport . 27 July 2019.
- News: Heppenstall . Ross . Women’s Super League Grand Final: Fran Goldthorp inspires Leeds Rhinos to victory against Castleford Tigers . 12 November 2019 . . 11 October 2019.
- News: From the Big Bash to the Super League: Courtney Hill’s incredible journey . . 6 April 2019 . 12 February 2020.
- Web site: New Leeds Rhinos women's team coach Lois Forsell welcomes "exciting" challenge . . 12 February 2020 . 12 February 2020.
- News: 'We're always ambitious': new Rhinos captain Butcher keen for more Women's Super League success . 11 May 2023 . Yorkshire Evening Post . 28 March 2023.
- News: Women's Challenge Cup: Leeds Rhinos women beat Castleford Tigers 20-14 to lift trophy . BBC Sport . 4 August 2018 . 21 November 2023.
- News: Women's Challenge Cup final: Castleford Tigers 10-16 Leeds Rhinos . BBC Sport . 27 July 2019 . 21 November 2023.
- Web site: St Helens retain Women's Challenge Cup in front of record UK crowd . Rugby-League.com . 7 May 2022 . 21 November 2023.
- News: Bower . Aaron . 2023-08-12 . Hoyle makes sure Saints fight off Leeds in Women’s Challenge Cup final . en-GB . The Observer . 21 November 2023 . 0029-7712.
- Web site: Saints beat Leeds to retain Women's Challenge Cup . BBC Sport . 8 June 2024 . 8 June 2024.
- Web site: Leeds Rhinos lift first Women’s Rugby League trophy of 2023 . Rugby-League.com . 24 June 2023 . 24 June 2023.
- Web site: Leeds Rhinos and St Helens come up short as York City Knights win Women's Nines competition . Cam . Pattison . Serious About Rugby League . 24 July 2022 . 21 November 2023.
- Web site: Wigan Warriors lift Women’s Rugby League Nines trophy . Rugby-league.com . 29 July 2024 . 29 July 2024.
