Warriors Women defeated by Leeds
- Match Report as Wigan Warriors Women lose to Leeds Rhinos Women.
- Despite a valiant first half effort, the Warriors are well beaten by the Rhinos second half charge.
- FT | Wigan Warriors Women 0-52 Leeds Rhinos Women.
Wigan Warriors Women fell to a 0-52 defeat at the Robin Park Arena at the hands of Leeds Rhinos Women.
The Warriors were well beaten by an unstoppable Rhinos side, whose second half performance was too much for the home team.
Sarah Bardsley who takes the number 30 shirt, becomes the latest debutant for the Warriors Women.
Report
After a tight opening five minutes, Leeds broke the deadlock with some quick passing to find Ruby Enright on the right wing, taking an early 0-4 lead. Just a few minutes later, Sophie Robinson doubled the away side’s advantage, profiting off a high kick which troubled the Warriors defence.
Wigan looked to have pulled one back when Mary Coleman broke through the Rhinos defence, only to be narrowly held up on the try-line. A penalty on the following play resulted in another set of six, but the Warriors failed to make it count.
Momentum was with the Cherry and Whites as they continued to find holes in Leeds’ line, with Cailey Miller in particular having luck down the left-hand side. Despite chance after chance, still it came to no avail.
The last five minutes of the half saw Leeds’ Bethan Dainton sent to the sin bin for some afters in the tackle. With both sides then coming incredibly close in their attacks, the score somehow remained 0-8 to the visitors at the break.
Despite another five minutes with 12 players, Leeds scored immediately at the start of the second half, with Izzy Northrop breaking from half-way to get on the scoresheet. For the first time of the match kicker Caitlin Casey was able to add the extras, making it 0-14.
Trouble continued for the Warriors defence when Keara Bennett dummied to cross under the sticks, making an easy conversion for Casey to take the opposition’s total to 20. Shortly after, the Rhinos scored a third in quick succession when Enright scored her second of the game, in a disappointing seven minutes for Wigan.
The deficit was further extended when Caitlin Beevers powered through to make it 0-28 to Lois Forsell’s side, who were quickly emerging as the winners in this particular matchup. Anna Davies then did well to make a try-saving tackle five minutes later, as the Warriors attempted to ride out the second-half storm.
As the hour mark passed it seemed the game had levelled out, as Wigan defended better to slow down Leeds’ charge. That was until another two tries came for the visitors one after the other when Zoe Hornby broke the line twice, to first assist Jasmine Cudjoe and then Dainton. Enright and Casey converted the tries as the Rhinos were now up to 40 unanswered points on the day.
Leeds would score another try with five to go through Amy Hardcastle, who stretched to get the ball down on the right hand side. Casey’s kick then bounced off the post and in from out wide, adding to the ever growing Rhinos lead.
Their final try would be the last action of the game, as Casey converted Dainton’s second try to make the final score 0-52, in a day to forget for the Warriors women.
Gallery:
Wigan Warriors: Molly Jones, Kerrie Evans, Kaitlin Hilton, Anna Davies, Cailey Miller, Grace Banks, Carys Marsh, Holly Speakman, Emma Dwyer, Bethany Hayes, Vicky Molyneux, Mary Coleman, Cerys Jones.
Interchange: Sarah Bardsley, Jodie Morris, Emma Davies, Olivia Harborow.
18th Player: Charlotte Nixon.
Leeds Rhinos: Sophie Nuttall, Sophie Robinson, Caitlin Beevers, Hanna Butcher, Ruby Enright, Caitlin Casey, Jenna Greening, Izzy Northrop, Keara Bennett, Beth Lockwood, Amy Hardcastle, Bethan Dainton, Zoe Hornby.
Interchange: Jasmine Cudjoe, Kaiya Glynn, Lucy Murray, Tasha Gaines.
Tries: Enright (6’, 47’), Robinson (9’), Northrop (41’), Bennett (43’), Beevers (53’), Cudjoe (63’), Dainton (66’, 80’), Hardcastle (75’)
Goals: Casey (5/7), Enright (1/3)
Sin Bin: Dainton (35’)
Referee: Sam Houghton
By Harvey Orgill.
