YORK Valkyrie were only competing at 70 per cent of their performance capacity against reigning champions Leeds Rhinos in their Betfred Women’s Super League opener yesterday, according to Director of Rugby Lindsay Anfield.

The Valkyrie were sensational against an underwhelming Rhinos outfit looking to start strong in their title defence, running riot in the second half to claim a 34-12 victory in front of a record crowd of 5,308 supporters.

The competition’s previous highest gate was the 4,235 spectators that watched the 2021 Grand Final at Headingley, as St Helens romped to a 28-0 triumph over hosts Leeds.

Tries from Tamzin Renouf, Ashleigh Hyde, Hollie-Mae Dodd, Liv Gale, Tara Jane Stanley and Ellie Hendry saw title-favourites York lay down a strong marker, despite Anfield telling Sky Sports that “they are only at about 70 per cent of what [she is] expecting from them this season”.

“The first half, I thought that we were very average,” she continued.

“We competed alright, but then we didn’t really bring a lot to the table.

“In the second half, I thought that they did a lot of things better, still not where we needed to be, but I thought that we were a lot better second half.

“There’s room for loads [of improvement]. They’ve got these marquee players, a lot of players who have played in Challenge Cups and Grand Finals, but we put a lot of work into each individual.

“They might not have had as much work, or as much experience, or on paper be as good, but we try to give each individual as much as we possibly can.

“Some people that they might have seen on the teamsheet today and said ‘Who are they’, they’ve stood up to be counted and we’ve got to be proud of that.”