Women’s Rugby League Association ready for big kick-off on Sunday

Women’s RL has been taking off recently, but the Women’s Rugby League Association League began in 1989 and will this year will have 14 teams taking part in two divisions.

SIx teams are competing in Division One and eight in Division Two.

Division One will include Featherstone Lionesses, Illingworth, Methley, East Leeds, Wigan St Judes and Ashton Bears while Division Two sees Batley, West Bowling, Odsal Sedbergh, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, University of Manchester, West Leeds and Cutsyke competing.

As well as competing in their respective divisions all teams will have the opportunity to play in the WRLA Challenge Cup and WRLA Plate (for those sides knocked out in the early rounds), which culminates with its double header finals day on Sunday, April 9.

It will give supporters of the women’s games and new supporters an opportunity to taste grassroots women’s rugby league as a prelude to the Women’s World Cup, which starts next Tuesday at Headingley with a double header when England play Brazil and Papua New Guinea entertain Canada.

Week one’s league fixtures are:

Division One: Featherstone Lionesses v Illingworth; Methley v East Leeds; Wigan St Judes v Ashton Bears.

Division Two: Batley v West Bowling; Odsal Sedbergh v University of Leeds; University of Liverpool v University of Manchester; West Leeds v Cutsyke.

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WRLA chair Steve Manning said: “We have had a few hiccups in the build-up to the WRLA Winter League 2022-23, but it all kicks off this coming Sunday in the longest running league in the world.

"Sunday is the beginning of our 24 week window to provide league and cup fixtures for those participants who wish to play the game over winter.

“We have 14 teams competing in two divisions of six and eight respectively and although you can’t please everyone in which division they play, we have hopefully done our best to get it right with competitive games throughout the season as well cup ties which culminate on the last weekend of our window on Sunday, April 9.

“The WRLA Winter League is a great stepping stone for women and girls who want to dip their toe into the water and give the game a try, as the ultimate aim for WRLA is to develop the women’s game for the future.

“Some of the England squad have come through the WRLA Winter League in the past.

“On behalf of WRLA and all the clubs within its league and those who play in summer we wish the England Women all the best and to bring the World cup home for the first time as the footballing Lionesses did earlier this year.”