St Helens and Leeds Rhinos renew Women's Super League rivalry in Women's Challenge Cup final dress rehersal

Offense sells tickets, defence wins championships, so goes the old sporting aphorism. St Helens head coach Matty Smith is in no doubt the latter was crucial to their victory over York Valkyrie in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Last Saturday's 32-2 win not only booked Saints' place at Wembley for the second year running and kept alive their hopes of lifting the cup for a record-equalling fourth year in a row, but it also saw them overcome the reigning Betfred Women's Super League champions who had beaten them 20-16 two weeks earlier.

Head coach Smith knows his side will need more of the same on Friday night when they host a free-scoring Leeds Rhinos side in the Women's Super League, live on Sky Sports, and in the matches which follow, though.

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"It wins you games when you can keep turning people away, especially on your own goal-line, and keep turning up for each other," Smith said.

"It's little things in games, but they're big things in games and when everyone is doing that you put yourselves in good positions to have the ball in good positions and win games.

"Defensively we were great, and we can take a load of confidence from that moving forward. We're going to need it this week against Leeds, and also attack really well.

"We've got points in us, we love playing with the ball, and when we defend like that, we take some beating. To consistently do that is the challenge and we've got to do that for the next three weeks."

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Friday's encounter at the Totally Wicked Stadium serves as something of a dress rehearsal for the Women's Challenge Cup final on June 8, with Leeds having secured their spot thanks to a 34-20 win over Wigan Warriors in Sunday's last-four tie.

St Helens ran out 22-8 winners over Leeds in 2023 in the first women's final to be played at Wembley, and Rhinos head coach Lois Forsell is determined to ensure her team do not fall short again this time around.

"For us, returning to Wembley, the big thing for us is fulfilling our potential rather than looking at anything outside of that," Forsell, a Challenge Cup winner as a player with both Leeds and Bradford, said.

"We know we had enough to get the job done last year and we know we've added in strength in depth this year.

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"We all play at Leeds and a club like Leeds because we want to be the best and we believe we've got that within our camp. We just need to focus on us and go get the job done, because we're not just going [to Wembley] to be there."

The rivalry between St Helens and Leeds has become one of the defining ones in the Women's Super League in recent seasons, with the sides regularly battling it out to be crowned champions in both the league and cup.

This week's league match-up again features as part of a double-header which sees the respective Saints and Rhinos men's teams facing each other as the 2024 Betfred Super League regular season reaches Round 12.

Smith will be involved in the second game of the night too in his role as one of men's head coach Paul Wellens' assistants and while he is looking forward to this occasion and the upcoming Wembley final, he is not losing sight of the big picture for his team in the league.

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"Our rivalry with Leeds over the past few years is there for everyone to see," Smith said. "We've had some great games against Leeds, and we don't want to lose another game and we want those points on the ladder.

"We've had a nice weekend, we've got back to Wembley and that's all well and good, but we need to start thinking about the league this week and climbing that ladder. It's going to be tough, Leeds are a great side and played well again at the weekend.

"These games are great to have the double headers with Saints-Leeds women and then the lads after - it's great for Super League.

"I'll be involved in both so it will be a busy day for me, but hopefully a successful one and we can be at our best."

Watch the women's and men's double-header between St Helens and Leeds Rhinos at Totally Wicked Stadium live on Sky Sports Action from 5pm on Friday, May 25. Watch every Betfred Super League match live on Sky Sports in 2024 and stream with NOW.