Leeds Rhinos coach Lois Forsell issues Women's Challenge Cup final plea ahead of Wembley clash v St Helens

Just six years ago Bradford Bulls beat Featherstone Rovers in the competition’s finale at the Heworth community club in York.

Lois Forsell was a Bulls player that day before joining Leeds Rhinos the following season and scoring the Cup final’s winning try against Castleford Tigers at Warrington’s HJ Stadium.

She will coach them against St Helens in this weekend’s showpiece at the national stadium, the first women’s game played there and has urged her players to make special memories of their own.

She reflected: “It is massive it is at Wembley, but I think what you actually remember the most is the moments you have with your teammates and the staff.

“Winning at Warrington, I remember a lot about the journey we were on that season. I remember that moment of scoring a try and getting your teammates around you more than the occasion itself.

“I know it is not as big as Wembley, but I sometimes think you remember the people you played with rather than the places you are at.

“It [being at Wembley] is outstanding and absolutely massive, but you have just got to make sure you enjoy doing it with your teammates.”

That said, playing - and coaching - at Wembley is unique in the women’s game and she stressed: “It is something they’ll never do again as a first so they have to soak it all in.

“We are going there to compete, enjoy it and stick together as a team. I think sticking together and playing for each other is all you need on an occasion like that.

“As a support group and staff we will do everything we can to help them control that and the occasion side of it, but there’s nothing but excitement coming from the girls.”

Rhinos are the reigning Super League champions and have reached at least one major final every season in the club’s history, which began five years ago.

“We’ve got a lot of girls who are experienced in big games and used to performing in big games, even the girls who are new in this year,” Forsell said.

“As a group we have faced a fair bit of adversity already and learned a fair bit about each other.

“We have got a group who stick together and this weekend will be no different. We’ll just go out and enjoy ourselves, stick together and compete.”

Rhinos’ squad includes Amy Hardcastle who was a Cup winner against them for Saints last year, at Elland Road, but Forsell isn’t putting any extra pressure on the strong-running second-rower by seeking inside information on Saturday’s opponents.

Saints were convincing victors when the sides met in Super League earlier this year and Forsell insisted: “I leave Amy to be a player

“As a coach, that’s my job, I look into what we need to do to beat another team. We focus a lot on ourselves.

“We know there are areas we can look at in terms of Saints; the last time we played them we’d had a lot of chopping and changing and were still finding our feet as a group.

“A lot has changed since then and we’re really excited to get out there. Amy will be just out there to enjoy herself and play the game she loves. There’s absolutely no pressure on her in terms of anything else.”

Rhinos will be without several long-term casualties and Keara Bennett and Kaiya Glynn are suspended, but Ruby Enright is in Saturday’s squad despite being injured during last month’s semi-final win over Wigan Warriors.

Forsell said: “Ruby has been great when we’ve had her in the team and she is an exciting young player. To have her out there will be a massive boost.”

Leeds Rhinos: from Robinson, Beevers, Butcher, Nuttall, Hulme, Hornby, Anderson, Hardcastle, Dainton, Cudjoe, Lockwood, Gaines, Northrop, Frain, Moxon, Hayward, Greening, Casey, Murray, Enright.

St Helens: from Rotheram, McColm, Partington, Williams, Harris, Gaskin, Hoyle, Jones, Crowl, Travis, Rudge, Cunningham, Whitfield, Sams, Stott, Birchall, Bridge, Mottershead, Taylor, McGifford, Hook.

Referee: James Vella (Sydney). Kick-off: Saturday, 11.50am.