Leeds Rhinos suffer Challenge Cup semi-final disappointment as St Helens head to Wembley
Despite some late defiance, Leeds Rhinos’ women suffered more Challenge Cup heartbreak at the hands of St Helens, going down 30-14 in today’s semi-final at Doncaster.
It was the fifth time Leeds have lost to Saints - three finals and twice in the last-four - since Rhinos won the competition, for the second successive year, in 2019. Saints were the better team, but Leeds could take something positive from the way they played in the final quarter, though it was too little, too late.
Errors and penalties undermined Leeds for the opening 50 minutes and it was 24-0 before they scored. At that stage the penalty count was six-one in Saints’ favour, but it began to even up - getting to six-five - and Rhinos showed what they could do when they had a decent share of the ball, running in three tries.
They had left themselves too much to do, but Leeds’ late rally put more emphasis on a controversial decision which went against them early in the second quarter, when Saints led 6-0. A superb kick by stand-off Mel Howard went straight into Liv Whitehead’s arms behind Saints’ line and she seemed to touch down through Danielle McGifford’s tackle.
Referee Ryan Cox indicated a try, but after interminable replays he was overruled by video official Liam Rush. Saints got a penalty in the next set - the fourth of five in succession in the opening period - and then Faye Gaskin’s grubber kick was touched down by Zoe Harris. Gaskin’s second conversion made it 12-0.
A knock-on by Howard at the start of the game set the tone and Gaskin appeared to have scored for Saints after just two minutes, but referee Cox was overruled by his video assistant who spotted a knock-on. Rhinos’ Ruby Bruce was held up over Saints’ line, but Caitlin Casey and Gaskin went equally close for the opposition before Erin McDonald plunged over from close range to break the deadlock after 18 minutes.
Leeds needed to score first after the break, but Ebony Stead knocked on near her own line in the opening moments of the second period and Gaskin stepped through some weak defence for a try, which she also converted, to effectively seal the deal.
Another Leeds dropped ball, this time by Connie Boyd, followed by a penalty led to Emily Rudge going over for Saints soon afterwards. Leeds avoided a whitewash with a nice try on 54 minutes, Boyd scoring after Howard and Lucy Murray combined. Howard added the extras.
Ruby Enright crossed off a sweet move involving Ruby Walker, Howard, Murray and Stead and Saints’ nerves were jangling when Whitehead scored with eight minutes left. The second and third tries weren’t converted and - with the penalties going Saints’ way again, the count finishing nine-five - McDonald crashed over for a late try, improved by Gaskin, to seal it.
St Helens: Rotherham, Burke, Hardcastle, Woosey, McGifford, Harris, Gaskin, Hoyle, Casey, McDonald, Travis, Rudge, Cunningham. Subs Mottershead, Whitfield, Bridge, McColm.
Leeds Rhinos: Stead, Whitehead, Kennedy, Boyd, Enright, Howard, Walker, Brown, Bruce, Glynn, Murray, Owen, Donnelly. Subs Bennett, Naidole, Sharp, Short.
Referee: Ryan Cox (St Helens).