11 October 2019

Leeds Rhinos beat Castleford Tigers in the Grand Final of the Women's Super League to claim domestic double

Leeds Rhinos defeated Castleford Tigers 20-12 in the Grand Final of the Women's Super League this evening. 

The match was nearly identical to the Challenge Cup final that Leeds won 16-12 in July.

Castleford Tigers scored two tries in the first 10 minutes. Lacey Owen and Maisie Lumb crashed over the line to make it 8-0.

The Rhinos struck back with a try by Abby Eatock in the 13th minute.

The rest of the half was evenly matched with the league leaders and old rivals Rhinos battling it out. No more points were scored and going into half time it was 8-4 to Castleford.

Tigers and Rhinos head out for the big occasion (PA Images)

As the game resumed both teams looked keen to score but kept forcing errors which meant that neither side could convert their attacking pressure.

After 16 minutes into the second half first blood was drawn. Rhinos' Fran Goldthorpe scored after an amazing break from Courtney Hill. The score, with the conversion missed, meant the game was eight points a piece.

Leeds seemed to have struck gold, quite literally, as on the 65th minute Goldthorpe crashed over the whitewash to score again. Courtney Hill converted the points and the Tigers' hopes of getting their revenge for the Challenge Cup looked in doubt.

The Tigers found their roar once again in the 74th minute and the last six minutes of the match were nail-biting.

There wasn't enough time on the clock though and 1,673 fans saw the Rhinos romp to another season title.

Stand-in Rhinos captain Courtney Hill, who won a woman of steel award earlier this year, said: "There were 20 women of steel out there. We have composure, we know we can crawl back in. Tough luck to Castleford, they've been great all season."

Double try scorer Fran Goldthorpe said: "We all put 100% effort in and the courage and determination shows what a team we are."

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