Girls Academy held by Rhinos

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Girls Academy were held by Leeds Rhinos Women’s U19’s in an entertaining clash at Wigan St Jude’s.
• The Warriors scored five tries in the game which included a first half double from Anna Dennis.
• FT | Wigan Warriors Girls Academy 22-22 Leeds Rhinos Women’s U19’s.

Wigan Warriors Girls Academy drew 22-22 with Leeds Rhinos Women’s U19’s in their final outing of the year in an entertaining battle at Wigan St Jude’s.

Report

The Warriors opened the scoring inside the first minute after a fantastic solo try from Eve Ashcroft who broke the line from inside her own half before sprinting more than 50m to dive over. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

The Rhinos responded six minutes later when, following a knock on from the Warriors, Leeds worked the ball wide from the scrum to Tilly Davies who crossed in the corner. The visitors were unable to add the extras from the touchline.

From the restart a Leeds handling error gifted possession back to the Warriors, and despite a second knock on momentarily halting the attack, Anna Dennis picked up the loose ball before forcing her way over after a weaving run from 20m out. Jodie Morris added the extras to make the score 10-4.

The Warriors came forward once more as a swift move on the final tackle resulted in Emma Welsford fantastically offloading to Dennis to score her second of the half. The kick from the touchline was narrowly wide.

A fourth Warriors try of the half was added after 22 minutes when off the back of a penalty for offside, play was worked out to the right where Sydney Alderman-Smith was in space to dive over in the corner. Despite an unsuccessful conversion, Wigan led 18-4.

The Rhinos hit back twice before the break as first a strong carry from Lilly Thompson resulted in the centre crashing over, before Brooke Henderson forced the ball down with the final play of the half. Abbi Simpson added both kicks to reduce the score to 18-16 at the break.

The Warriors scored the first points of the second half with 53 minutes on the clock when a blistering run from Maddie Higson saw her dive over in the left corner. The points difference remained at six as the kick fell short.

The visitors levelled the match with 15 minutes remaining when a pass out wide found Faye Barraclough who checked back inside to cross through a gap as Simpson once more added the extras from the tee.

Despite a dangerous break through the line from Grace Short to take the Rhinos 10m out with less than 10 minutes remaining, the Warriors stood firm on the final tackle to deny Angel Bentley a winning try as the score remained 22-22 until the final whistle.

Gallery:

Wigan Warriors Girls Academy: Eve Ashcroft, Sydney Alderman-Smith, Kerrie Evans, Emma Welsford, Anna Dennis, Maddison Higson, Izzy Glover, Emily Haley, Ellie Thirkell, Jodie Morris, Libby Clarke, Emma Davies, Amber Harmon.

Interchange: Lily Wilkinson, Arabella Reed, Alice Connolly, Sophie Morris, Jess Brown, Charlotte Nixon.

Tries: Ashcroft (1′), Dennis (12′, 18′), Alderman-Smith (22′), Higson (53′).

Goals: Morris (1/5).

Leeds Rhinos Women’s U19’s: Tilly Davies, Faye Barraclough, Angel Bentley, Lily Thompson, Honey Oxtoby, Keira Gittins, Hanah Hill, Alice Costello, Jess Oldroyd, Tilly-Jae Brown, Mayzi Carter, Grace Short, Emily Fitzpatrick.

Interchange: Abby Briggs, Lauren Exley, Abbi Simpson, Brooke Henderson.

Tries: Davies (7′), Thompson (32′), Henderson (39′), Barraclough (65′).

Goals: Simpson (3/4).