Women’s Super League: Can York Valkyrie swoop against Leeds Rhinos for latest Grand Final shot at glory?

League Leaders’ Shield winners York Valkyrie and reigning champions Leeds Rhinos face off again in the Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final at the LNER Community Stadium; watch live on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Mix from 2.30pm on Sunday (3pm kick-off)

The story of the York Valkyrie rugby league revolution has, up to now, been a case of so near yet so far.

The 2021 Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup final and last year’s Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final both saw them fall short of claiming one of the sport’s big two prizes. Earlier this year, York were denied a place in the first Women’s Challenge Cup final to be at Wembley as well in an agonising one-point defeat to St Helens as well.

However, the Valkyrie have another chance to put all those near misses to bed in the Women’s Super League showpiece on Sunday, live on Sky Sports. Once again, they already have the League Leaders’ Shield from the regular season in the bag and once again face Leeds Rhinos to be crowned champions.

This year, however, Lindsay Anfield’s side have home advantage courtesy of that top-of-the-table finish and will be playing in front of a bumper crowd at the LNER Community Stadium, with captain Sinead Peach under no illusion as to how significant it would be for the club to clinch a maiden BWSL title.

“It means everything,” Peach told York RLFC TV. “Starting out the season, you put out platforms for what you want to achieve and losing in the [Challenge Cup] semi-final, we were gutted, but we’ve bounced back since that.

“We’ve got an opportunity to lift another cup after the League Leaders’ and it’s everything we want, and I’m sure the girls are willing to do everything they can to make sure they come out victorious.”

For the second year in a row, York overcame Wigan Warriors to earn a place in the Grand Final, this time winning 22-6 thanks to another pivotal display from reigning Woman of Steel Tara-Jane Stanley, who scored one try and assisted two others after the visitors had taken an early lead.

Reigning champions Leeds, meanwhile, needed a try from Sophie Robinson in golden point extra-time to defeat St Helens 20-16 at Totally Wicked Stadium in their semi-final clash and go some way to avenging their Wembley cup final loss to Saints in August.

Leeds have reached the Grand Final again despite England internationals Fran Goldthorp and Georgia Roche making the switch to Australia’s NRLW competition earlier this year and Caitlin Beevers, player of the match in last year’s 12-4 win over York in the title decider, hailed the togetherness of the squad.

“I think we’ve done really well,” Beevers told Sky Sports. “We’ve had a lot of adversity; we had players moving to the NRLW at the start of the season along with some injuries at the start, and I think we’ve really got to the point where we can compete in games like this.

“For the last two years we’ve managed to make it to the Grand Final and that shows how committed we are.

“No matter the adversity we face at the start of the season, we come together and that shows what the environment at Leeds is all about.

“We’re ready and raring to go. Training for the last two weeks has been absolutely phenomenal, so we’re biting at the bit to get going.”

Last year’s final was played at the neutral venue of Totally Wicked Stadium and Leeds know how much home advantage does not always count after defeat on their Headingley home turf by St Helens in the 2021 decider.

Peach is adamant York are taking nothing for granted either, having been held to a 12-12 draw by the Rhinos at home in July after beating them 34-12 away in April, but the 2023 Woman of Steel nominee and her team-mates are excited they have the opportunity to be crowned champions for the first time in front of a partisan crowd.

“It’s massive that we’ve got the home advantage and we’re comfortable playing here, but in the same sense we’re not complacent,” Peach said.

“We know there is a job to do, but mentally preparing that we’re going to be at our home ground with our home supporters is massive for us, and the girls are really excited to get out there and put on a good show.

“We know the fans will get behind us with the drums, so we’re looking forward to running out.”

Wilkin: Rhinos have the ability to win tight games

Sky Sports rugby league pundit Jon Wilkin on this year’s Women’s Super League Grand Final:

“Much like the men’s team from their golden era, Leeds just have an ability to win tight games and games they maybe shouldn’t win.

“I thought they did that against St Helens in the semi-finals – it was an incredible performance and a golden-point win, and rightly they find their way to the Grand Final.

“York, although they’ve played great, they haven’t won that competition before, and I know as a player that’s in the back of your mind.

“That could be poisonous for the mentality of the York team and could play into Leeds’ hands.”

Watch York Valkyrie and Leeds Rhinos face off in the Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final live on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Mix from 2.30pm on Sunday (3pm kick-off). Also stream the Women’s, Men’s and Wheelchair Super League Grand Finals and more on with NOW for £21 a month for six months.