York Valkyrie reach BWSL Grand Final with 12-10 win at Leeds Rhinos

In what was a fantastic advert for women’s rugby league – and a repeat of the last two Grand Finals – video referee Liam Rush had his fair share of action, disallowing a pair of tries, giving two others, and sending Valkyrie half-back Tamzin Renouf to the sin bin late on.

But York showed their mental strength to hold on, with Keara Bennett’s missed conversion with two minutes remaining ultimately deciding the contest at a wet and windy Headingley as Leeds missed out on the Grand Final for the first time in their history.

Now, League Leaders’ Shield and Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup winners St Helens await York in the trophy-crowning match on October 6.

The Valkyrie were on top for the majority of the opening half, with tries ruled out either side of Kelsey Gentles’ opening score with 20 minutes on the clock.

Those proved to be the only points added before the interval but it took just 70 seconds for the visitors to double their lead after the break when Savannah Andrade raced clear behind the posts.

Leeds though were much improved on a disappointing first half showing, with the pressure of a penalty, and then a repeat set, close to the line finally telling on the York defence with 13 minutes left to play, Ebony Stead carving her way through into the left corner.

Renouf’s sin bin for an off-the-ball challenge set up a nail-biting conclusion, but there was an err of controversy about the Rhinos’ second try, with Woman of Steel nominee Lucy Murray touching down into the opposite corner after Caitlin Casey’s grubber had been left.

Eboni Partington though appeared to bring down Evie Cousins in the process, which, if ruled a penalty try, would have left a conversion in front of the sticks. However, Bennett could not arrow her touchline conversion through, breaking Leeds hearts.

MATCH RECAP: Leeds Rhinos 10-12 York Valkyrie - BWSL Semi-final

Lindsay Anfield made three changes from last weekend’s victory at Featherstone Rovers, with Lacey Owen returning from injury and Carrie Roberts from her commitments with the Army.

With Emma Kershaw injured, Remi Wilton was handed a first start on the wing.

Leeds, themselves without the influential Caitlin Beevers and Ruby Enright, still named a line-up including England internationals Amy Hardcastle, Casey, Shona Hoyle and Hanna Butcher, making her 100th appearance for the club.

Winger Liv Whitehead was also handed a start against her former side but had an evening to forget, twice bundled into touch and her error setting up Andrade’s try.

York started on the front foot, carving out their first opportunity after a penalty for a ball strip inside the first minute, but Izzy Brennan’s kick on the last was well-collected by Stead.

A high tackle on makeshift half-back Renouf then presented them with another fantastic opportunity on the five-minute mark, with only Rush sparing Leeds’ blushes after Aaryn Belafonte had ruled it to be a try on field.

Both Lacey Owen and Lisa Parker raced towards Sade Rihari’s grubber, but after Amy Hardcastle had missed an attempted kick to clear, neither could quite manage to touch the loose ball down.

York though were undeterred, carving through the Rhinos’ defence with ease. Roberts sent a flicked pass back inside to Brennan, but she could not take it in cleanly as another attack broke down inside the 10-metre line.

It took until the 11th minute for Leeds to see their first good ball set, but though Casey’s kick on the last was initially fumbled, Georgie Hetherington was on hand to collect.

A scuffed Butcher kick though opened the door for York to add the game’s first points at the half’s midpoint.

Nobody could lay a hand on Hetherington as she raced forward 20 metres, with Gentles then batting off Hardcastle before crashing over from close range to the left of the posts.

Fellow interchange Rhiannion Marshall tagged on the extras to hand the visitors a deserved 6-0 lead.

Kelsey Gentles opened the scoring midway through the first half. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

York looked to go back-to-back from the restart, but saw another try disallowed by the video referee.

After Marshall had been brought down just short, Hetherington backed herself from acting half, but knocked-on across the line.

Leeds came close to responding on the half-hour, winning a six-again on the 30-metre line before Butcher’s cross-field chip was knocked-on by Renouf, but the visitors stood up to the first test of their tryline defence well.

Andrade was then stopped metres short, but though the last chance of the half fell to the Rhinos, Roberts bundled Whitehead into touch on the 10-metre line, preserving her side’s slender 6-0 advantage at the break.

York made the perfect start to the second half, doubling their lead just over a minute after the restart. But again, the video referee was called into action.

Whitehead let Marshall’s kick on the last slip through her fingers, the ball coming back off Renouf’s knee and into her hands as she fed Andrade to score behind the posts, leaving Marshall the simplest of conversions.

Savannah Andrade doubled York's lead just a minute after half time. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

Whitehead’s woes continued when she was dragged into touch for a second time, but despite giving away a six-again, and then a penalty on their 10-metre line, the Valkyrie’s tryline defence could again not be breached.

With no recognised kicker, York often ran the ball on the last tackle, but in Casey, the Rhinos had a half-back trying her utmost to bring her side back into the game.

The Valkyrie were thankful for an outstanding Jas Bell tackle inches from the line but could not deny Leeds from their next opportunity.

Having given away a cheap penalty, and then a six-again, the pressure eventually told, Casey releasing Stead, who ran around the outside of York’s defence and into the left corner.

Bennett converted, bringing with it a huge roar from the home support, who had been relatively stifled until that point.

Renouf’s sin bin, given for an off-the-ball tackle with six minutes to go, though threatened to change the shape of the tie in Leeds’ favour.

And it was almost inevitable when the Rhinos scored a second try with two minutes left to play.

Casey’s grubber caused havoc among the York defence, and with Partington taking out Cousins as she seemed set to score, Murray won the foot race to touch down the loose ball.

Rather than giving a penalty try, Murray’s effort stood, but Bennett could not bring the scores level from the right touchline.

Leeds though failed in their attempts to score a decisive third try, with York’s interchanges running onto the pitch in their delight at reaching another Grand Final.

Full time scenes were jubilant. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography) LEEDS RHINOS: Stead, Cousins, Hardcastle, Robinson, Whitehead, Butcher, Casey, Sykes, Bennett, Donnelly, Hoyle, Murray, Dainton.

INTERCHANGES: Bruce, Northrop, Walker, Glynn

TRIES: Stead (67), Murray (78)

GOALS: Bennett 1/2

YORK VALKYRIE: Hetherington, Wilton, Roberts, Parker, Partington, Rihari, Renouf, Bell, Wood, Brennan, Owen, Andrade, Pakulis.

INTERCHANGES: Marshall, Gentles, Sharp, Exley

TRIES: Gentles (20), Andrade (41)

GOALS: Marshall 2/2

SIN BIN: Renouf (off-the-ball tackle 74)

POINTS SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-6, 0-10, 0-12, 4-12, 6-12, 10-12

YORK’S STAR WOMAN: Georgie Hetherington. Filling in for Sinead Peach and Tara Jane Stanley at hooker and full-back is not for the faint hearted, but Hetherington was outstanding across both, and was unlucky not to have scored.

REFEREE: Aaryn Belafonte