Leeds Rhinos suffered yet more semi-final heartbreak when they were beaten 12-0 by York Valkyrie in today’s Women’s Super League play-off at AMT Headingley.

Rhinos have had a good season, improving two places to second in the table, but their form deserted them at the worst possible time and they ended the year with five straight defeats. It was the second successive time Leeds have failed to score in the Super League semi-final - following a 38-0 reverse at Wigan last term - and their fifth loss at the penultimate hurdle since a Challenge Cup last-four victory over Wigan Warriors in 2024.

Rhinos did get over York’s line twice in the second half, but both times the touchdown was ruled out by video official James Vella after being awarded on field. Valkyrie - who will visit Wigan for the Grand Final next Sunday - had a score disallowed in similar fashion.

Mel Howard, second from right, makes a point during Leeds Rhinos' defeat to York Valkyrie in the Betfred Women's Super League semi-final. Picture by Callum Pilkington/SWpix.com.

Against a York side on a high after ending Wigan’s unbeaten record in their previous game, Leeds contributed to their own downfall with a string of errors and some poor decision-making. Their defence kept them in the game right until the end, the visitors were the better side throughout.

Rhinos cracked once in each half, the deadlock being broken after 21 minutes when Liv Wood forced her way over from close range and Tara-Jane Stanley tagged on the extras. The same player added a penalty five minutes before the interval and seemed to have put the game beyond Rhinos when she stepped over the line early in the second period.

Referee Denton Arnold awarded the try, but Vella spotted the ball coming loose and it was chalked off on review. That sparked Rhinos into life and Georgia Elliston crashed over for what appeared to be a reviving touchdown.

Again, Arnold awarded it only for Vella to say no because of an alleged obstruction by Ella Donnelly. That was the game-breaker and York extended their lead with 16 minutes left when Adoha Akwiwu, a former Rhinos player, crossed after a mistake by Ruby Enright. It looked like Leeds had at least avoided a whitewash with six minutes left when Arnold awarded a try to Ebony Stead from Mel Howard’s kick, but yet again Vella disagreed, ruling the winger had spilled the ball.

Lucy Murray of Leeds Rhinos is tackled during the Women's Super League semi-final defeat by York Valkyrie. Picture by Callum Pilkington/SWpix.com.

Leeds Rhinos women: Enright, Whitehead, Cousins, Boyd, Stead, Howard, Walker, Donnelly, Bennett, Naidole, Owen, Murray, Sykes. Subs Bruce, Elliston, Brown, Glynn.

York Valkyrie: Donovan, Kershaw, Woods, Lenham, Partington, Stanley, Williamson, Wood, Peach, Pakulis, Akwiwu, Andrade, Parker. Subs Bell, Bibby, Wood, Brennan.

Referee: Denton Arnold (St Helens).