‘Adversity builds your fire’ as Keara Bennett secures final return to Wembley for Leeds Rhinos’ women

Bennett stretched out from acting-half to touch down seven minutes from the end of a sapping Women’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Wigan Warriors at St Helens.

Her try, Leeds’ seventh, put three scores between the sides and halted Wigan’s hopes of causing an upset, one which had looked distinctly possible for much of the game.

Rhinos will face St Helens at Wembley on Saturday, June 8, which will be the sides’ third successive meeting in a Challenge Cup showpiece.

Saints, who also won the trophy in 2021, came out on top in both previous encounters, including last year’s historic first women’s game at the national stadium.

Bennett was player of the match in Leeds’ 2023 semi-final win, also against Wigan, but controversially missed the decider because of a two-match ban.

That could have been a once in a lifetime opportunity so her delight at the final whistle on Sunday was obvious and understandable.

“Adversity builds your fire,” said Bennett afterwards. “Today that was one of the drivers of me pushing through the hard times.

“Sometimes you miss out on those opportunities, but it’s what you do off the back of that [that matters].

“It is exciting what we are building here and it’s a personal one so I am really excited and over the moon.”

Leeds remain unbeaten this season and have now defeated their two closest rivals, York Valkyrie and Wigan, in successive Super League and Cup games.

Wigan, coached by club legend Denis Betts, are on the up though and Rhinos had to dig deep.

They trailed three times and Bennett admitted Leeds “made it tough for ourselves”. But in semi-finals the win is all that really matters and, once they cut out the errors which dogged them throughout the first half, Rhinos’ class told.

They scored in the opening set, through eventual player of the match Ruby Enright, but found themselves 8-4 down at the end of the opening quarter after Vicky Molyneux touched down and Emma Knowles kicked a conversion and penalty.

Caitlin Beevers’ try levelled matters, but Grace Banks’ try, improved by Knowles, edged Wigan ahead for the second time.

Zoe Hornby’s powered over, Enright adding the extras, to make it 14-14 at the interval, but when Wigan scored straight afterwards, Knowles improving Jade Gregory-Haselden’s four-pointer, Leeds looked in real trouble.

However, captain Hanna Butcher replied immediately and then created a second try for Enright, who also converted, to give Leeds a narrow advantage.

Lucy Murray’s converted touchdown put daylight between the sides for the first time, but Rhinos’ couldn’t relax until Bennett’s close-range score.

Leeds coach Lois Forsell reflected: “In the first half we were pretty erratic and we didn’t do what we do really, really well. We will learn from that.

“It is only our second tough challenge of the season and the girls are learning a lot about themselves as a group.

“We took longer than we’d like to get control of the game, but we did it and we are off to Wembley, so we’ll take that.”

Leeds Rhinos: Enright, Cousins, Hardcastle, Beevers, Whitehead, Butcher, C Casey, Field, Bennett, Northrop, Murray, Sykes, Dainton. Subs Hornby, Donnelly, Robinson, Greening.

Wigan Warriors: Banks, Welsford, Hilton, Davies, Derbyshire, Rowe, Knowles, Speakman, R Casey, Fisher, Molyneux, Coleman, Thompson. Subs Foubister, Gregory-Haselden, Singleton, Jones.

Referee: Adam Williams (Wigan).