Leeds Rhinos Women v York City Knights Women: Georgia Roche expecting tough test

The tie is followed at 5pm by Featherstone Rovers against St Helens and the winners will meet in the decider at Elland Road on Saturday, May 7, as a curtain-raiser to the men’s semi-finals.

Roche, a stand-off, played for Tigers when they lost to Rhinos in both major finals in 2019 and the Challenge Cup showpiece the previous year.

York have recruited heavily from Tigers and are aiming for a second successive appearance in the final, after losing to St Helens last season.

“It is going to be tough, playing against those girls,” Roche warned.

“I’ve played with them and I know the quality of some of the players in that team.

“They have got a lot of strength in depth, but I think we’ve also got that, so it should be a really good game.”

Whatever happens tomorrow, Roche, 21, is confident she has made the right move.

“I’m really enjoying it, I am seeing everything from a different perspective, going to Leeds,” she stated. “Even off-field stuff, it is a whole new level and I think that’s what I needed to develop as an individual.

“There’s always room for improvement, but I’ve started all right. I’ve just got to kick on now and right the wrongs from an individual point of view and go into the semi-final and push on into the season.”

Roche is hoping to secure a place in the England squad for this year’s World Cup, when she could play alongside Rhinos half-back Courtney Winfield-Hill.

“We’re yet to experience that at club level,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll get to do that soon. I’m excited to see how we go together, she is a real quality player and I think she can help me as an individual coming through.”

Tigers have applied to drop into the second tier of Women’s Super League this year, to “best promote the development of our young squad and the long-term sustainable growth of our pathways”.