Leeds Rhinos’ Caitlin Beevers confident women’s game can make up for lost time at Rugby League World Cup

ALTHOUGH it is still 12 months away, given the lack of women’s rugby league this year, it is no surprise there is already anticipation building ahead of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
Caitlin Beevers celebrating her 18th birthday on the day Leeds Rhinos won the Women's Super League last October. (Picture: Steve Riding)Caitlin Beevers celebrating her 18th birthday on the day Leeds Rhinos won the Women's Super League last October. (Picture: Steve Riding)
Caitlin Beevers celebrating her 18th birthday on the day Leeds Rhinos won the Women's Super League last October. (Picture: Steve Riding)

Leeds Rhinos’ Caitlin Beevers, for one, is looking forward to the prospect of hopefully lining up against Brazil in the tournament opener at Emerald Headingley.

On the back of such a torrid year for the sport – it was decided in August that the Women’s Super League and Challenge Cup would both be cancelled due to Covid – it is crucial that it hits back in 2021.

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Last year had seen such progress, full-back Beevers being part of the first Leeds side to win a Grand Final, their victory over Castleford Tigers also being the first-ever women’s game to be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Moreover, on the international stage, England also played in the Nines World Cup in Sydney and went on an historic tour of Papua New Guinea.

The current campaign was due to start on March 29 – just after lockdown restrictions had been put in place – so frustrated players are having to bide their time and hope that 2021 is not affected.

England will play two of their three games at Headingley, kicking off the tournament against Brazil in a double-header on Tuesday November 9, with organisers hoping to create a samba-style atmosphere.

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“I am looking forward to that,” Dewsbury-born Beevers told The Yorkshire Post.

Caitlin Beevers promoting the RLWC2021Caitlin Beevers promoting the RLWC2021
Caitlin Beevers promoting the RLWC2021

“With it being played at Leeds it’s obviously close to home and somewhere I’ve played a few times before.

“As a player, it’s good to know the ground you’re playing at and with Headingley being such a big stadium we’re hoping to get a really good crowd in there and bring the atmosphere.

“It’s a really big match to start the tournament. With it being Brazil, hopefully it will be like a festival type of atmosphere and if they bring their fans we’re hoping to get a big following.

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“We had a taste of it last year when we were playing Papua New Guinea over there in the Test series. It was a great experience and we want to get the same here.”

Caitlin Beevers, Courtney Hill, captain, and Lois Forsell, club captain for Leeds Rhinos after their 2019 title win (Picture: Steve Riding)Caitlin Beevers, Courtney Hill, captain, and Lois Forsell, club captain for Leeds Rhinos after their 2019 title win (Picture: Steve Riding)
Caitlin Beevers, Courtney Hill, captain, and Lois Forsell, club captain for Leeds Rhinos after their 2019 title win (Picture: Steve Riding)

Beevers – who turns 19 tomorrow – believes this year’s setbacks will only whet the appetite further for the World Cup which, for the first time, sees the Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair tournaments all take place together.

She said: “A lot of people have missed it.

“If we can bring that energy and some great games to show at Headingley I think it will be brilliant for anyone that is watching.

“With the second game – PNG v Canada – there as well, both Tests should be a quality showing for rugby league and anybody would be happy coming to see that. We want to advertise the sport.

England Women's international Caitlin Beevers (Picture: Simon Wilkinson/SWPix.com)England Women's international Caitlin Beevers (Picture: Simon Wilkinson/SWPix.com)
England Women's international Caitlin Beevers (Picture: Simon Wilkinson/SWPix.com)
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“There’s a lot of misconceptions about women’s rugby and people might think it’s quite soft and we just mess about a bit.

“But I can guarantee these World Cup games will be very tough with high skill levels and I’m sure a lot of people will be surprised by that. Knowing what the competition was like at the Nines last year, though, and playing against Papua New Guinea in the Test series, we definitely know it will be some competition.”

Given she is one of the sport’s brightest young talents, Beevers is sure to be one of the faces of the World Cup when the build-up continues next year.

She scored two tries on her international debut against France in Carcassonne in 2018, having also helped Leeds win the Challenge Cup that year.

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Unusually, Beevers is also a qualified referee and made history of a different kind by becoming the first woman to referee a rugby league game at Wembley.

She took charge of the Year 7 Boys National Schools Final, the curtain-raiser to Catalans Dragons’ famous Challenge Cup win over Warrington Wolves two years ago.

But playing the sport is her main love which has made this year on the sidelines all the more difficult.

Beevers said: “It is very unusual; it’s something we’re not really used to, especially with a lot of us having played since a young age.

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“But I think we will all be raring to go when it comes to 2021 as we have all been training through lockdown – it’s the only thing we have been able to do!

“With us being the hosts, and having the crowds to cheer us on, having missed so much this year it will be good to celebrate the sport of rugby league.

“If we can get the fans down there that will definitely be to our advantage and we want to make Headingley our home.”

England lost 52-4 against New Zealand in the 2017 semi-final in Sydney, but New Zealand then lost 23-16 to hosts Australia in the final showing how far England have to go.

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But as they bid to win the tournament for the first time in their history – they have not reached the final since losing to New Zealand in the inaugural 2000 event – Beevers is aware of how important that home support could be.

“It’ll be great, when things are going tough, that we can turn around and see that we’re doing this for the country,” she said, as it returns for the first time since 2013.

“It means more when there’s such a big following and that’s what we’re hoping to get but we are excited to see what the whole competition brings.

“We know it won’t be easy but we’ll be ready for it.”