Leeds Rhinos fans will have some favourites to cheer for when the rugby league World Cup kicks off this week.

Unlike the men’s competition, which features no Leeds players, the club are well represented in the women’s tournament with Keara Bennett, Connie Boyd, Ruby Bruce, Evie Cousins and Lucy Murray all part of England’s squad. They begin their campaign against Wales in Perth on Saturday, face reigning champions Australia at the same venue seven days later and complete their group campaign at Wollongong the following Friday in a showdown with Samoa.

At 24 and preparing for her second World Cup, hooker Bennett is the senior member of the Leeds cohort. “The Rhinos girls who’ve made the squad, it’s well deserved,” Bennett said. “They’ve all had a great season. They are all young and that’s the exciting thing. Connie got the [Women’s Super League] young player of the year and she’s hopefully going to get the opportunity to represent her country.

“I am really proud of Connie and the same with Evie, Ruby and Lucy, they are all really deserving of this opportunity. We will go and represent Leeds and do our best for them. We know we have got their backing behind us.”

Leeds Rhinos' Keara Bennett is preparing for her second Women's Rugby League World Cup campaign with England. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.

placeholder image — Leeds Rhinos' Keara Bennett is preparing for her second Women's Rugby League World Cup campaign with England. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.

Bennett feels the experience of four years ago, when England reached the semi-finals before losing to New Zealand, will stand her in good stead over the next few weeks. She insisted: “It’s an exciting opportunity.

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“At the previous World Cup [in 2022] I got a taste of what the international scene is all about. I am a different player now, more experienced, so for me it is definitely a challenge, but one I want to be doing, playing for my country, representing England.”

Travelling Down Under adds to the excitement, according to Bennett. She went on: “It is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Australia is where the biggest competition’s at so to go out there and play against the best in the world, I don’t think you can ask for more. It is a dream.”

Keara Bennett, left, with Leeds Rhinos teammates Ruby Bruce, Evie Cousins, Lucy Murray and Ella Donnelly after victory over France at Toulouse in July. Picture by Fabrice Rodriguez/SWpix.com.

Having played in the 90-0 drubbing by Australia in Las Vegas 20 months ago, the Leeds star knows the size of the task facing England, particularly in their second match. “We’ve just got to take every game as it comes,” she stressed.

“Obviously we are going to be playing Australia again and I genuinely believe it is going to be different compared to Vegas. There’s not many of the team who were in that squad in Vegas and the addition of NRLW [the Australian competition] players joining us over there is going to allow us to level up with them.

“They have the experience of playing at that level week-in, week-out and they’ve all had great campaigns. Obviously it is going to be a challenge, we are not denying that; [Australia] are the best in the world at the moment, but we have just got to concentrate on us and write our own story.”

England’s NRLW-based contingent includes former Rhinos players Fran Goldthorp and Georgia Roche. Goldthorp was North Queensland Cowboys’ player of the year in 2026 and Roche recently signed a new contract which will keep her at Newcastle Knights until the end of 2030.

Leeds Rhinos' Connie Boyd is set to make her England debut at the World Cup. Picture by Matthew Merrick/SWpix.com.

“I am so excited to see Fran and the rest of the girls,” Bennett said. “They have had so much experience, playing at the top level every week, so they are valuable assets to our group. We’ve also got Hope [Millard, of Canterbury Bulldogs] and Jasmin [Strange, from NRLW champions Sydney Roosters] coming into the group so that’s exciting.”