Leeds Rhinos captain's says 'it's all I've wanted to do' as women tune up for semi-final v Wigan Warriors
Leeds Rhinos’ game against York Valkyrie on Sunday will be an emotional occasion for one of the superstars of European women’s rugby league.
Caitlin Beevers, who has won the Challenge Cup and Grand Final twice each with Leeds and been capped 12 times by England, will lead Rhinos out at AMT Headingley as skipper for the first time, in their final game of the regular Betfred Women’s Super League season. A member of Leeds’ inaugural squad, in 2018, the 23-year-old made a try-scoring return against Huddersfield Giants last weekend after more than a year on the sidelines with a major knee injury.
Beevers was appointed captain at the start of this season, succeeding the retired Hanna Butcher. “I have been brought up watching Leeds and, with playing for them since I was so young, it is all I have wanted to do,” she said.
“It was a blessing, but also hard for me being given the captaincy in a year when I wasn’t on the field. We’ve got so many new girls and they were probably thinking ‘how’s she captain, she’s not done anything yet’?
“But it has been reassuring, the girls have been saying it’s more than what’s on the pitch. I have been trying to go round them and give them my support the best I can. It is the best group to do it with and I am very thankful. It has been a really tough two years with having a shoulder recon’ as well, but I am just happy to get back into it and I am starting to feel really confident.”
Beevers was a regular presence alongside coach Lois Forsell at matches during her layoff and the time out of action was put to good use. She said: “While I have been injured I have focused on my skill.
“I am aware that in the past I was a running centre and I needed to adapt my game to take myself to the next level. Off the field, I have been working on that and I think it has been really helpful working alongside Lois.
“I know exactly what she wants now in terms of performance and it was nice to have a bit of input. We were talking about subs and stuff like that and I was doing the stats alongside her. I am very thankful I was kept busy on game days, because I would have absolutely lost my marbles.”
Rhinos are already confirmed in fourth place on the league table and will visit leaders Wigan Warriors in the play-off semi-finals on Sunday, September 21 (7.30pm). Second-placed St Helens play host to defending champions York the same day (5pm).
Of this Sunday, Beevers said: “We know it’s going to be a really tough battle with York. They are a big side who dominate the middle. We have really been focusing on our defence and our extra efforts and basically how to unpick that.
“Win or lose, we’ll still be fourth, but I think it would put us in good stead going into Wigan with a win and give us a bit more confidence. But it is exciting to be part of the play-offs and I don’t think a loss would take us away from what we set out to do. We have high expectations for this weekend and I think the girls are really up for it.”
Forsell has named an unchanged initial squad for Sunday’s game, which kicks off at 3pm. Ruby Enright, Evie Cousins and Grace Short remain on the casualty list and Bethan Dainton – who has returned from representing UK Armed Forces in the women’s International Defence Rugby UInion Championship – is ill
Leeds Rhinos women (v York Valkyrie): from Stead, Beevers, Nuttall, Howard, Walker, Sykes, Bennett, Northrop, Brown, Murray, Bruce, Donnelly, Glynn, Greening, Whitehead, Frain, Boyd, Blakey, Bryer, Owen, Sharp.