Leeds Rhinos Women
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.
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Leeds Rhinos Women Rugby League Football Club |
| Nickname(s) | The Rhinos |
| Short name | Leeds |
| Colours |  Blue and Amber |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Website | therhinos.co.uk |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) |
|
| Coach | Lois Forsell |
| Captain | Hanna Butcher |
| Competition | Women's Super League |
| 2022 | 3rd (Champions) |
 Current season | |
| Records | |
| Women's Super League | 2 (2019, 2022) |
| Women's Challenge Cups | 2 (2018, 2019) |
| League Leaders Shield | 1 (2018) |
They are the current (2022) RFL Women's Super League champions and from 2023 they will become 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 | Super League | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 438 | 139 | 20 | 1st | Lost in Grand Final | W |
| 2019 | Super League | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 410 | 151 | 21 | 3rd | Won in Grand Final | W |
| 2020 | Super League | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||||
| 2021 | Super League | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 434 | 82 | 22 | 2nd | Lost in Grand Final | SF |
| 2022 | Super League | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 320 | 116 | 10 | 3rd | Won in Grand Final | RU |
Honours
League
- Winners (2): 2019, 2022,
- Runners-up (1): 2018,
- League Leaders' Shield
- Winners (1): 2018,
- Runners-up (1): 2021,
References
- "Leeds Rhinos to make history in 2023 by paying women's players bonuses and meritocratic payments for success". Sky Sports. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- "Leeds Rhinos launch women's rugby league team". Yorkshire Evening Post. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- "Super League winner Adam Cuthbertson to coach York City Knights Ladies' rivals Leeds Rhinos Women". York Evening Press. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- "Lois Forsell named as first ever captain of Leeds Rhinos Women's team". Yorkshire Evening Post. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- "Rhinos fightback for the Cup". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3, 133. 6 August 2018. p. 14.
- "Women's Challenge Cup final: Castleford Tigers 10-16 Leeds Rhinos". BBC Sport. 27 July 2019.
- Heppenstall, Ross (11 October 2019). "Women's Super League Grand Final: Fran Goldthorp inspires Leeds Rhinos to victory against Castleford Tigers". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
- "From the Big Bash to the Super League: Courtney Hill's incredible journey". The Guardian. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- "New Leeds Rhinos women's team coach Lois Forsell welcomes "exciting" challenge". Yorkshire Evening Post. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- "'We're always ambitious': new Rhinos captain Butcher keen for more Women's Super League success". Yorkshire Evening Post. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.