'We're always ambitious': new Leeds Rhinos captain Hanna Butcher keen for more Women's Super League success

Butcher has taken over from long-serving skipper Courtney Winfield-Hill, who hung up her boots after last autumn’s World Cup.

The 31-year-old temporarily retired following Rhinos’ 2022 Grand Final win over York, but admitted it wasn’t long before the lure of another campaign proved too strong.

Speaking at the Women’s Super League launch, at Headingley on Tuesday, Butcher confirmed: “For the last two years I’ve said I am going to have some time out, but then it comes to the off-season and the girls start going back for pre-pre-season and I get a bit of FOMO - fear of missing out - and I have to go back.

“In the breaks following the season I find it quite mentally challenging, not having that structure and routine. That’s probably one of the main things.

“It [retirement] never lasts long. Probably around November time, the girls had been back for a couple of sessions and I said to Lois [Forsell, Rhinos’ coach] ‘I can’t do this any more, I’m coming back’. She just laughed at me.”

Butcher insisted she hadn’t expected to skipper the team, despite a long spell as vice-captain, but is “really, really happy” with the responsibility which began last weekend when Rhinos won 46-4 at Warrington Wolves in their only warm-up match.

They kick off their title defence against York Valkyrie at Headingley on Easter Sunday, April 9, in a curtain-raiser to the men’s clash with Huddersfield Giants.

The opener is a repeat of last year’s Grand Final and could see Rhinos unveil off-season recruits including England star Amy Hardcastle, New Zealand World Cup finalists Georgia Hale and dual-code international Bethan Dainton, who won the Premier 15 rugby union title with Harlequins two years ago.

“We are always ambitious,” Butcher said. “We have been since 2018 when we started. The ultimate goal is to win as many games as we can and to get the silverware. Everybody is raring to go.”

All Leeds’ home Women’s Super League fixtures will be played ahead of men’s matches and Butcher added: “That is brilliant and a lot of the games are going to be televised as well. It gives us a platform and more exposure.”

Butcher began at Leeds as a stand-off, but was awarded the number 13 jersey last year. She played one game at loose-forward before moving into the second-row and was switched to centre - as a defensive ploy - for the Challenge Cup final against St Helens.

“I stayed there throughout the rest of the season,” she recalled. “I enjoyed it there, but I had done all the pre-season training as a forward and then I was a back, so it was a bit of a shock to the system.

“I am going to be a centre this year, I’ve got the number four shirt, but we don’t really make a big thing of squad numbers at Leeds. If I am required to play anywhere else I’ll put my hand up and do that.”