Leeds Rhinos Women 0 St Helens Women 22: Familiar tale as Lois Forsell's side succumb to Challenge Cup queens
The Rhinos were bidding to make it third time lucky but succumbed to a defensive masterclass and a clinical attacking performance in a repeat of last year's inaugural Wembley final.
Saints defended their line with the steel that broke York Valkyrie’s spirit in their semi-final meeting last month and took the chances that came their way.
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Hide AdWith all the focus on Leeds in the aftermath of the devastating passing of Rob Burrow, St Helens demonstrated the professionalism that has seen them dominate the competition since 2021.
For the Rhinos, it was another miserable experience after coming up short in the previous two finals against their rivals.
Leeds' effort could not be questioned but they could not build on a positive start.
After observing a minute's silence for Burrow, the Rhinos pulled off a brave play befitting the club legend.
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Hide AdHanna Butcher went short from the kick-off and Caitlin Beevers read the script to claim the ball and give Leeds an early look at the Saints line.


Lucy Murray poked her nose through the line at the end of the first set but she was quickly dragged to ground in a sign of things to come.
The Rhinos won the territory battle in the opening quarter yet could find no way through the St Helens rearguard.
Beri Salihi fumbled Caitlin Casey's grubber kick close to her own line but Saints defended such errors and everything else that was thrown their way.
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Hide AdLiv Whitehead spurned a golden opportunity to break the deadlock for Leeds after Salihi failed to deal with another Casey kick, this time from deep.


The ball came loose on the St Helens line but the Rhinos winger could not scoop it up to finish.
The momentum shifted after Shona Hoyle invited her old side into Leeds territory for the first time with a late hit.
Saints gleefully accepted the invitation to open the scoring through Faye Gaskin, the half-back stepping off her right foot to finish next to the posts.
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Hide AdDespite their domination, the Rhinos found themselves 6-0 down in the face of a turning tide.


St Helens were growing in confidence and took the second chance that came their way.
After getting a fresh set when Jodie Cunningham's pass was touched by Keara Bennett in Leeds territory, Saints shifted the ball out to the right where Phoebe Hook finished in the corner.
Butcher produced a big tackle to deny Emily Rudge and Hoyle escaped a card for a clumsy high tackle on Salihi but there was a sense that the damage had been done.
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Hide AdSt Helens had one hand on the cup five minutes into the second half after taking advantage of errors by Whitehead and Caitlin Beevers in quick succession.
After Beevers dropped Gaskin's kick, Saints moved the ball out to the left edge where Luci McColm finished.
Leeds never allowed their heads to drop and kept fighting, as evidenced by a try-saving tackle by Lucy Murray on Cunningham.
But St Helens finished the stronger team and crowned another memorable Wembley outing with a powerful finish from Chantelle Crowl.
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Hide AdLeeds Rhinos: Enright, Cousins, Hardcastle, Beevers, Whitehead, Butcher, Casey, Field, Bennett, Northrop, Murray, Hoyle, Skyes. Substitutes: Dainton, Donnelly, Hornby, Robinson.
St Helens: Salihi, Hook, Stott, McColm, Burke, Harris, Gaskin, Whitfield, Jones, Crowl, Travis, Rudge, Cunningham. Substitutes: Williams, Stott, Mottershead, Sutherland.
Tries: Gaskin (25), Hook (30), McColm (45), Crowl (70)
Goals: Gaskin 3/4
Referee: Aaron Moore.
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