Hilton: We feel prepared

• Kaitlin Hilton has previewed Sunday’s Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup group game against Featherstone Rovers.
• Hilton: “We did lose out to Featherstone in the Cup last time so we’ve really ramped it up and training has been quite intense but we feel prepared.”
• Featherstone Rovers Ladies v Wigan Warriors Women, Millennium Stadium, Sunday 7th May, 12pm K.O.

Kaitlin Hilton says the Warriors Women ‘feel prepared’ as they gear up to face Featherstone Rovers in game two of their Challenge Cup group stages on Sunday afternoon.

Looking back on their opening game win over Cardiff Demons in the cup competition, Hilton said: “It was really good and we worked well together as a team. Obviously spending the full weekend together and as out first game in the Challenge Cup this year, it was great to come away with the win.”

On what can improve from the opening cup game, she added: “Our attack was good but we’ve been working really hard in our contact so our defence is something to improve on. We did lose out to Featherstone in the Cup last time so we’ve really ramped it up and training has been quite intense but we feel prepared.”

The Warriors will face Featherstone for a seventh time in their history, though they are conscious that their last meeting ended in being knocked out of the Challenge Cup in 2022: “We have had some defeats against them in the past so we never take them lightly. We’re going in hoping to try and play our best rugby of the season, working from the foundations we laid against Cardiff last week.

“We know it’s going to be a challenge and that’s why we’ve upped that intensity in training – we’re just ready to get back on the pitch again and get stuck in.”

Hilton made her Women’s first team debut against Rovers in July 2021, so is aware of the challenge ahead this weekend: “I think I’ve gotten stronger from making my debut against Featherstone a few years back. Physically I’ve grown as a person but also mentally too, we’ve got a fresher looking squad this year but I’m still around some players that I debuted with so it’s good to see myself grow, but also the growth of the team as well.

“We’re playing against a side that we’ve faced before, a team that we have both won and lost against so it’s got the makings of a really interesting tie.”