Women's Super League champions Leeds Rhinos face new rivals in 2020
Champions Leeds Rhinos will be up against two more teams battling to grab their Betfred Women’s Super League crown next season.
This year’s eight clubs - including Leeds, Castleford Tigers, Wakefield Trinity and Featherstone Rovers - will be joined in the 2020 competition by newcomers Huddersfield Giants and Warrington Wolves.
Huddersfield and Warrington both entered the Championship for the first time this year and met the necessary on-field standards by finishing in the top four of the table before the Wolves went on to win last month’s Grand Final.
They have each been granted Super League membership for two seasons after their applications for promotion to Betfred Women’s Super League were accepted by the Rugby Football League.
Key strengths of their applications were commitments to coaching and to the girls’ pathway which underpins the women’s programme funded by the RFL, Sport England and investment by clubs and foundations.
The competition began in 2017 with only four teams and Thomas Brindle, the RFL’s head of growth, said: “This is another positive step in the Betfred Women’s Super League success story and testament to all involved in the thriving Championship competition.
“The expansion to seven clubs in 2018 and eight in 2019 has undoubtedly enhanced the stature of the competition and of women’s rugby league.”