Leeds Rhinos boost as star Ruby Enright back to her best for Women's Super League opener v Wigan Warriors
After two injury-ravaged seasons, Leeds Rhinos star Ruby Enright is back and doing what she does best, scoring tries.
The 22-year-old, who can play wing or full-back, raced over for a hat-trick in her comeback match, against Leigh Leopards and finished Rhinos’ Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup campaign with seven touchdowns, including one in last Sunday’s 30-14 semi-final defeat by St Helens.
“I’m feeling good, it is good to be back out there,” Enright said of her long-awaited return to action. “I missed it a lot. I was out for close to two years - I had a shoulder injury and then I got something called compartment syndrome which I needed two surgeries on.”
Compartment syndrome is an increase in pressure inside a muscle, restricting blood flow and causing pain. “I feel like I was in good form before the injury, I recovered from my shoulder and then it was just another thing,” Enright recalled.
“It was disappointing, but it’s one of those things, part of the game. I was worried about coming back in, thinking I’d be a different player, but I feel like I’ve settled back into it the same, so that’s good.”
Rhinos begin their Super League campaign on Saturday with the toughest-possible test, away to Wigan Warriors at Edge Hall Road Community Stadium (2pm). Wigan won all three trophies last year and booked a return to Wembley by crushing York Valkyrie 52-0 in last Saturday’s Cup semi-final.
Leeds have to pick themselves up from their loss to Saints, but there were some positive signs in the second half when they scored three successive tries after going 24-0 behind. “Everyone was very disappointed and frustrated with the way we started,” Enright reflected.
“We went away from the game plan, then in the second half we switched it around. I think that’s the frustrating part, we showed how good we were when we stuck to the plan.
“Mistakes and penalties put us on the back foot from the start. It is going to cause any team problem when you are doing that. Wigan are a young team, like us, but I think if we play like we did at the end [of the semi-final] it will be a very good game.”