New Women's Super League season 'bigger and better' believes York captain Sinead Peach

The competition, featuring 12 teams in two tiers, was launched in opulent surroundings at Headingley yesterday, where the opening game, a Grand Final rematch between Leeds Rhinos and York, will be played on Easter Sunday, April 9.

The big stage is an indication of how far the women’s game has progressed since Peach’s early days as an 11-year-old with Hunslet Warriors, where she had to form her own girls’ team to continue playing the sport, and then Featherstone Rovers.

“You used to go to games and have to check the pitch for mess before the game,” recalled Peach, now 24.

“You had about 10 supporters and that was it; now we are at these big stadiums, in front of huge crowds, it is massive and year on year it is growing.

“I think this year the crowds are going to be bigger, the profile is higher; it is stepping up a level each year and it’s going to be exciting to see what’s to come.”

Hailing from the opposite side of the River Aire to Headingley and thus born with a natural antipathy to Rhinos, Peach played for Featherstone and Castleford Tigers before being part of a mass-exodus, led by coach Lindsay Anfield, to York.

Having featured in Castleford’s table-topping side of 2019, she did the same with York last year, but on both occasions the season ended in Grand Final disappointment against Leeds. The objective this time is obviously to go at least one better and win the Super League title, though the Challenge Cup, particularly with the final being played at Wembley for the first time, is another major objective.

With St Helens retaining the Challenge Cup, all three trophies had a different winner last year. Saints are going through a rebuilding phase which has seen one of their key players, Amy Hardcastle, join Leeds.

Rhinos’ additions also include Georgia Hale who played for New Zealand in last year’s World Cup final and Bethan Dainton, a Premier 15s champion in rugby union with Harlequins two years ago.

Having retained most of last year’s squad, the defending champions will be formidable opposition, but Peach feels York have what it takes to end their reign.

“Last year’s Grand Final was disappointing, it took a lot to get over that,” she admitted. “But I think silly mistakes let them have the game; there were two tries we could easily have stopped.

“It was basics. We are close, we have had a great pre-season and I think we’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing and we’ll get there, we will get them and manage to lift that trophy.”

Though Katie Langan, who was co-captain last year, has now retired, Peach believes York have strengthened since their 2022 disappointment. New faces in the squad include forward Aimee Staveley from Leeds and half-back Sade Rihari, a New Zealander who was at Salford last season.

“We were lacking a good half-back last year,” said Peach. “Sade will fill that role and we have got Rhiannion Marshall back after she only played a couple of games last season.

“She is a force to be reckoned with, she can play any position and it’s great to have her back in the middle and we’ve got Aimee as well, who will make the forward pack even stronger. We have recruited well and we have got good strength.”

As York’s leading acting-half, Peach will be integral to their hopes of lifting silverware this year and she is relishing the extra responsibility that comes with the captaincy.

“It is an honour,” she said of her leadership role. “I am a talker and I love leading the girls.”

If that wasn’t enough motivation, there is also the matter of regaining her place in England’s first-choice side.

Despite being a nominee for the Woman of Steel award in both 2021 and 2022, national coach Craig Richards left Peach out of his squad for last year’s tournament. He stepped down after the semi-final defeat to eventual runners-up New Zealand and Peach has set her sights on a return to international duty under successor Stuart Barrow.

One of his first duties was to restore Peach to the performance squad for next month’s Test against France. She conceded: “It was disappointing not being selected for the World Cup.

“My best mates were playing so it was great to watch the girls and support them, but I am back in the squad this year and I am looking forward to gelling back with the girls and cracking on and hopefully I’ll put myself forward to be selected for the World Cup in three years’ time.”

While Richards was closely associated with St Helens, Barrow headed the RFL’s female talent pathway and has no club ties.

“Stu has been around the squad for a long time and the girls knew him anyway,” said Peach.