YORK Valkyrie have confirmed that Sinead Peach has been promoted to Club Captain ahead of the imminent 2023 season.

Peach, who was previously co-captain alongside Katie Langan, has been with the Valkyrie since 2021 when she first joined from Castleford Tigers.
Langan has since retired from rugby, announcing the decision last month in what was a damaging blow for York.

But Peach has been elected to fill the former co-captain shoes, after being instated as the captain of the club.

It'll be welcome news to York fans, with Peach establishing herself as a crucial figure of Lindsay Anfield's squad in recent years. 

Peach received back-to-back nominations for the Woman of Steel award in 2021 and 2022, and led the Valkyrie to a first League Leaders' Shield in the Betfred Women's Super League, the inaugural Women's Nines and the maiden Grand Final.

Speaking to the Valkyrie media team, Peach said: “It’s a massive honour. I really enjoyed being Co-Captain of the squad last season and being able to lift the League Leaders’ Shield, so to be appointed as Captain is an honour.

“I am really missing Katie as Co-Captain but I’m honoured to be stepping up as Captain this year.

“I don’t think my role changes much now going from Co-Captain to Captain, I’ll stick to what worked well last year.

“I’ll still be the same player around the girls and I am as driven as ever.

“I am a vocal leader and I’m really passionate about the game, which the girls know and respond well to. I don’t think they’d want me any other way to be honest!”

The Valkyrie begin 2023 in the Betfred Women’s Super League's season opener at Headingley Stadium against Leeds Rhinos on Sunday, April 9.

Peach added: “Playing Leeds Rhinos at Headingley Stadium on Sky Sports in round one, it’s massive and it doesn’t get much bigger than that.

“It’s a massive way to kick off women’s rugby league in 2023.”

Valkyrie's Director of Rugby Anfield said: “Sinead is a strong leader for us and she’s matured over the off-season, given that she’s stepping up into this role now.

“Sinead has got a strong leadership group behind her as we’ve got to remember that she’s still only young herself at 24.

“She’s developing all the time and finding better ways to do things.”