Challenge Cup finalists Leeds Rhinos and Castleford Tigers to meet again in Women’s Super League Grand Final

The climax of the season will be a repeat of this year’s Challenge Cup final, won by the Rhinos.

Tigers came through their semi-final with a 34-4 victory over reigning champions Wigan Warriors in front of 1,449 fans at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle.

Cas led 14-4 at half-time but turned up the heat in the second half. Tara Stanley crossed either side of Maisie Lumb’s try and also landed a conversion.

In the second half, further tries were added by Sinead Peach, Frankie Townend, Lumb and Tamzin Renouf, with Stanley again adding conversion points.

Leeds Rhinos, meanwhile, left it late to overcome St Helens in their semi-final which ended 18-14 in favour of the Yorkshirewomen.

Saints raced into a 14-0 lead in the first half as Rhinos were slow to get up to the pace of the game, especially after losing star forward Shannon Lacey to a head injury (that ruled her out of proceedings for the rest of the game). Rhinos also had a try ruled out after the Saints defence managed to hold Booth up over the line.

But five minutes from the break Leeds grabbed a toehold in the game when Abbie Eatock got the ball down over the whitewash after good work by Bennett and Courtney Hill.

And it was Hill who was next on the scoresheet after Rhinos came out for the second half with a new lease of life.

Hill took the ball outside the opposition ‘20’ and jinked her way to the try line, unfortunately too far out for her to land the conversion.

Leeds continued to keep the pressure on Saints and, from a Hill kick, Char Booth was able to follow up and hack the ball to the corner for the touchdown and a 14-12 ball game.

Hill again failed to find the middle of the uprights from wide range, but a penalty much closer in allowed the Leeds leader to land the two points and level matters.

And, off the last play of the game, Hill combined with Hanna Butcher to send Eatock in for her second – match-winning – try of the game.