Leeds Rhinos, St Helens, Wigan Warriors, and York Valkyrie this weekend (18/19 May) find themselves just 80 minutes away from the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8 June (KO 11.45am).
St Helens made history last August when they became the first women’s team to lift the Challenge Cup trophy at the national stadium and will continue their hunt for a fourth successive title against York Valkyrie at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster on Saturday (KO 11.15am).
The fixture will see the two sides meet at this stage of the competition for the second season running, with Saints having beaten York 17-16 through a late Faye Gaskin drop goal at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in 2023.
When these two sides met in the 2021 final at Leigh Sports Village, York were just beginning their development under coach Lindsay Anfield and went into the game as heavy underdogs against a Saints side that hadn’t lost all year. Fast-forward three years and the Valkyrie have gone from strength to strength, with the Challenge Cup the only piece of silverware not in their trophy cabinet.
Sunday will then see Leeds Rhinos take on Wigan Warriors at the Totally Wicked Stadium (KO 12.30pm) in a repeat of last year's semi-final which saw the Rhinos win 16-4.
Two-time winners Leeds will be a force to be reckoned with; the Rhinos’ squad is packed with proven top flight talent through the likes of England stars Amy Hardcastle, Caitlin Beevers plus new recruit Shona Hoyle. They’ll face a confident Wigan side now coached by legend Denis Betts with the Warriors heading into Saturday’s fixture off the back of an 18 try rout of Huddersfield Giants in the Betfred Women's Super League.
Both sides have had straightforward runs to the final four finishing top of their groups with three wins from three, posting big score-lines in the quarter-finals as Leeds strolled passed Warrington 70-10 whilst Wigan secured a 44-4 win over Cardiff Demons.
Leading the four sides into this weekend's semis will be four head coaches who all know exactly what it's like to win the famous Challenge Cup, having lifted this famous trophy as players. Can they inspire their respective teams to go on and do the same?
Expect the Unexpected in the Betfred Challenge Cup!
Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Semi-Final ties:
St Helens v York Valkyrie - Saturday 18 May, Eco-Power Stadium (K.O. 11:15am)
Wigan Warriors v Leeds Rhinos - Sunday 19 May, Totally Wicked Stadium (K.O. 12:30pm)
Both Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Semi-Finals will be shown live on BBC iPlayer.
The Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Final (KO 11.45am) will once again be part of a Finals Day triple-header at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8 June, alongside the final of the Betfred Men’s Challenge Cup (KO 3pm) and the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final (KO 5.45pm). Plus, there will be the traditional Year 7 Boys’ Champion Schools Final at 10am. Tickets are available online now from only £20 Adults and £10 Under 16s, with family packages also available.
