The double is just a start for Leeds Rhinos' women

Star full-back Caitlin Beevers is predicting more success for Leeds Rhinos’ women’s side, who have won four trophies in just two seasons.
Caitlin BeeversCaitlin Beevers
Caitlin Beevers

Rhinos completed a double seven days ago when they beat Castleford Tigers in the Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final, less than three months after defeating the same opposition to retain the Coral Challenge Cup.

They were also league leaders in 2018 and were beaten by a stoppage-time Wigan Warriors penalty goal in the Grand Final.

Last week’s triumph came on Beevers’ 18th birthday.

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Try scorers Abby Eatock and Elle Frain are also 18 and player of the match Fran Goldthorp, who touched down twice, is just 16.

Paige Webster and Keara Bennett played in the title decider after being promoted from the under-19s academy and teammates Sophie Nuttall, Chloe Kerrigan and Ellie Oldroyd are among other teenagers in the squad.

Beevers reckons with so many young players already having Grand Final-winning experience, Rhinos’ dominance of the women’s game will be difficult to break.

“This is only our second year and we’ve won two trophies both years,” she reflected.

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“I think that’s a tremendous effort by the whole team and all we can do is keep building on that.

“We will look at how we can improve and we will go into next season trying to build on what we’ve done this year.”

Beevers’ attention has now turned to England duty, beginning with this weekend’s World Cup Nines in Sydney. The squad flew to Australia last Saturday and Beevers - who made her debut as a National Conference referee in 2019 - admitted: “It hasn’t just been a busy week, it has been a jam-packed year, with playing and refereeing.

“I can’t thank everyone enough for all the support I’ve been given for the last few years. It has all been building towards this and I am very happy with where I am.”

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England begin their Nines campaign against Papua New Guinea today and face Australia and New Zealand on Saturday.

Beevers has also been selected for England Women’s Two-Test series in Papua New Guinea next month when the squad will be joined by new assistant-coach Adam Cuthbertson, who has been in charge of Rhinos since the team was founded in 2018.

“We’re in Australia a week, come back to England for a week and then go to Papua New Guinea for three weeks,” Beevers confirmed.

“I am really looking forward to it. I would have been happy with any coach because at the end of the day they are all there to help you and make you a better player.

“But I feel comfortable with Cuthbo being there. He’s someone I can confront about any problems, anything I need to improve on and he will be straight with me and tell me exactly what I need.”