YORK VALKYRIE have further bolstered their squad with the signing of former Betfred Women's Super League Shield winner Sade Rihari.

Rihari arrives in York from Salford Red Devils, with whom she won promotion from the Betfred Women's Championship last season following a dominant campaign that saw the side taste victory in all but one of their 15 regular-season matches.

The New Zealander is perhaps best known for her time at Huddersfield Giants, where she lifted the Women's Super League Shield in 2021.

She was named the Player of the Match in the trophy-crowning win at Leeds' Headingley Stadium, starring at half-back as the Giants defeated Featherstone Rovers 24-22.

Rihari began her career representing New Zealand in touch rugby, before making the switch to rugby league five years ago.

The 26-year old then enjoyed spells with Canberra-based Queanbeyan Blues and Queensland's Mackay Brothers before joining the Giants in 2021.

Rihari is looking forward to linking up with her new teammates at York, admitting that she has been impressed with what she has seen of the Valkyrie so far.

“I’m really excited to be here at York and get stuck in," she enthused.

"The girls here compete really hard, which I love.

“I love their competitiveness, so this year should be good.

“From watching York last on TV, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, these girls are strong and here to win. Maybe I could play in one of these teams one day.’

"Now I’ve got the opportunity and I’m going to take it with both hands.

“We’re after every trophy. That’s what we want.

"We’re training hard in pre-season because we’re going into every game wanting to win.”

Valkyrie Director of Rugby Lindsay Anfield, who has also added former Leeds Rhinos star Aimee Staveley to her squad this month, was delighted to have the deal over the line, describing Rihari as a "natural half".

“Sade is someone that I’ve known about for a while," she admitted.

“I see her as a natural half. As soon as she gets a ball in her hand, you can see that she understands the game really well, has an in-depth knowledge of rugby league and is a missing link for us at half-back.

“She’s not played on the biggest stage in this country yet but this is her opportunity now and hopefully she’ll flourish in our environment."

York Valkyrie begin their Women's Super League season against Leeds Rhinos at Headingley on Sunday, April 9, before welcoming fellow heavyweights St Helens to the LNER Community Stadium a week later.