It has been a breakthrough year for Leeds Rhinos rising star Connie Boyd, but her biggest challenge is yet to come.

Boyd, 20, scored a hat-trick on her England debut in last week’s 70-6 thrashing of Wales and will again be in the centres for Saturday’s second World Cup fixture, against hosts Australia in Perth. “We won by a lot of points, for me personally it was the first time I got to play for England and I scored a hat-trick. I would never have thought that was going to happen,” she admitted of her first taste of Test rugby.

England selection came at the end of Boyd’s second season in Women’s Super League, when she was named the competition’s young player of the year and won the club’s Spirit of the Rhinos award. She reflected: “I never expected this year to be like this.

“It’s only my second year in Super League and last year I wasn’t really that consistent. For me to make such a change from last season, win some awards and to even come to a World Cup - then get picked to play and score a hat-trick on my debut - it is weird to even think I have done it.”

Connie Boyd, of Leeds Rhinos, in World Cup action for England against Wales last week. Picture by Anita Reca/SWpix.com.

placeholder image — Connie Boyd, of Leeds Rhinos, in World Cup action for England against Wales last week. Picture by Anita Reca/SWpix.com.

Being in camp with England was a step up for Boyd. “It is a lot quicker and there’s a lot more talented girls around you,” she observed. “Girls like Georgia Roche, Fran Goldthorpe and Hollie-Mae Dodd play in the NRLW [southern hemisphere women’s competition] and for me playing on the left, I was playing off Rochey and Fran so I was close to them on the pitch.

“Fran will be giving me the ball so they definitely have helped me and I think I have progressed as a player. They are at the top level and that brings me on. In training Fran will help me and talk to me which is obviously going to help me.”

The NRLW is the elite in women’s rugby league and something which could be on Boyd’s agenda in the future. She added: “From what Fran and Rochey have said, they enjoy it a lot.

“Rugby is massive over here compared to England so it would definitely be a thought, but I am still young, the season coming up will only be my third year and in my first year I was coming off the bench. It is only this year where I was starting at centre and playing week-in, week-out, so maybe in a few years.”

Leeds Rhinos' Connie Boyd, with ball, seen at England training in Perth, Western Australia, this week. Picture by Ramiro Larguia/SWpix.com.

As well as things have gone so far, Saturday - against the world champions on their own turf - is the ultimate test. England were crushed 90-4 by Australia in Las Vegas last year, but Boyd is confident they’ll give a better account of themselves this time.

“Obviously Australia are the best in the world,” she said. “But I definitely think we will put in as much effort as we can and we will work for each other.

“I feel like we have got a good chance to show them what we can do and how much the team has improved from the last time we played them. There’s a lot of players who haven’t played them, this England team is a younger group, so we will just have to see.”

Former Leeds Rhinos star Fran Goldthorpe, pictured at England training this week, has helped Connie Boyd make the step up from Super League to international rugby league. Picture by Ramiro Larguia/SWpix.com.

England’s women will take to the field after the men have been in action on the same ground against France. Boyd noted: “It’s usually the women who play before the men and as you get into the second half that’s when most of the crowd comes in.

“We are playing after, so I am hoping there will be a big crowd, which will be good for the women. If you see there’s more supporters coming to watch the game it really builds your confidence, knowing people are showing support for you and your team.”