Saints beat Leeds to retain Women's Challenge Cup

Betfred Women's Challenge Cup final

Leeds (0) 0

Tries: Goals:

St Helens (10) 22

Tries: Gaskin, Hook, McColm, Crowl Goals: Gaskin 3

St Helens made it 4 consecutive Women's Challenge Cup last victories arsenic they comfortably hit Leeds Rhinos for nan 3rd twelvemonth running.

On a time erstwhile nan world of sport, nan crippled of rugby - and rugby convention successful peculiar - mourned the nonaccomplishment of Rob Burrow, his aged nine had hoped for inspiration connected nan awesome Wembley Stadium stage.

Burrow was honoured pinch a minute's soundlessness earlier nan game.

However, successful this nan 12th staging of nan women's last since nan title began successful 2012, but only nan 2nd clip astatine Wembley, contempt nan crippled efforts of a Rhinos broadside spearheaded by battling England centre Caitlin Beevers, Saints' defence was simply acold excessively bully and nan amended broadside won.

Saints' 4 wins equals nan 4 wins successful their erstwhile early guise arsenic Thatto Heath Crusaders from 2013 to 2016, anterior to being bought retired by Saints successful 2018.

After nan disapointment for Leeds of a chalked-off try, it took 24 minutes to break nan Wembley deadlock erstwhile different England subordinate Faye Gaskin claimed nan game's first score.

Rather against nan tally of play, nan holders recovered nan correct level 10 yards retired and nan Saints half-back showed fancy footwork to wade done immoderate mediocre challenges and spell complete adjacent to nan posts.

Gaskin herself added nan 2 points. And, wrong six minutes, Saints had a 2nd erstwhile Phoebe Hook went complete successful nan correct area - though Gaskin's conversion effort dropped conscionable short.

Having turned information pinch a 10-0 lead, wrong 5 minutes of nan restart, Saints put themselves firmly successful bid when, from a 2nd set, Luci McColm capitalised connected bully handling each nan measurement down nan statement to burst complete adjacent to nan near area - and Gaskin added a good 2 points.

Leeds, winners of this trophy successful 2018 and 2019 anterior to Saints' consequent domination, battled difficult to debar being nan first broadside to beryllium 'nilled' successful nan women's last since Bradford Thunderbirds mislaid 46-0 to Featherstone Rovers successful 2012.

Instead it was Chantelle Crowl who went complete for a 4th effort 10 minutes from time, Gaskin added nan extras - and, different than nan announcement of Saints number six Zoe Harris arsenic subordinate of nan match, that was occupation done.

Leeds: Enright; Cousins, Hardcastle, Beevers, Whitehead; Butcher (c), Casey; Field, Bennett, Northrop, Murray, Hoyle, Sykes.

Interchanges: Dainton, Donnelly, Hornby, Robinson.

St Helens: Salihi; Hook, E Stott, McColm, Burke; Harris, Gaskin; Whitfield, Jones, Crowl, Travis, Rudge, Cunningham (c).

Interchanges: Williams, D Stott, Mottershead, Sutherland.

Referee: Aaron Moore.