LEEDS RHINOS 0 YORK VALKYRIE 12
STEPHEN IBBETSON, AMT Headingley, Friday

TARA JANE STANLEY’S return has inspired a remarkable turnaround in York’s season and she was superb in leading them to the Grand Final – but the livewire won’t feature in it after failing a head-injury assessment late on in a hard-fought win over Leeds Rhinos.

After losing their first six games in all competitions against other ‘big four’ sides under new coach Leon Pryce, a resurgent team beat Leeds, St Helens and then, incredibly, Wigan in the final round to make this play-off.

And thanks to a dominant display not reflected entirely by the scoreline, Valkyrie will get another go at the Warriors in next Sunday’s title decider at The Brick Community Stadium.

They were far too good here for a Leeds side who came second in the table yet have finished by losing five games on the spin.

York dominated down the middle, their defence was impenetrable – albeit with the help of the video referee on two occasions – while the kicking of Stanley, back to her best after almost two years out injured, kept the Rhinos on the back foot for long spells.

But there was huge concern at the end when Stanley was forced off with a head knock, and they’ll be without her for the Grand Final in a cruel blow for player and team.

Leeds had the first opportunity of the game through an Emma Kershaw error, but Ruby Enright threw into touch when intended target Liv Whitehead may have been able to squeeze into the corner – and it turned out to be their best chance of the first-half.

Ellie Williamson failed to take York’s first opening, making a break then kicking behind Enright only to run straight into the stationary fullback as the ball ran dead.

However, slowly but surely, York turned the screw, led by Stanley. Her kick forced a Whitehead knock-on, from which Liv Wood drove through the Rhinos’ try-line defence, taking Ella Donnelly and Bella Sykes with her over the whitewash as she scored the opening try, goaled by Stanley.

Leeds’ only other first-half entry into their opponents’ red zone ended with a poor Ruby Walker kick into the arms of Stanley, who led a break to halfway.

A couple of minutes later, the halfback kicked a penalty-goal from 35 metres out for an 8-0 lead, and the hosts’ defence was scrambling to keep it like that on the hooter.

It appeared that Stanley had further extended that advantage eight minutes into the second-half after slicing through from close range down the left, but video referee James Vella overturned the original, on-field try call from Denton Arnold, ruling she’d lost possession just before touching down.

Valkyrie went close again on 55 minutes when Ruby Bruce and Lacey Owen stopped Megan Pakulis, another stand-out performer, underneath the posts.

Leeds were enjoying spells of attack, but couldn’t crack York until Georgia Elliston stepped round three defenders and a post to cross on the hour mark, after Whitehead and Connie Boyd had them stretched. However, Vella again intervened, this time finding a Donnelly obstruction on Wood.

And that proved critical, as York took play downfield and a soft Stanley pass at the line sent Adaoha Akwiwu in for the game-clinching try.

Stanley couldn’t add the conversion, then missed a field-goal attempt with twelve minutes to go, to keep it at 12-0 and give Leeds a glimmer of hope.

It looked like a late comeback might be on the cards when Ebony Stead scored off a bouncing Mel Howard kick six minutes from time – but the video referee again had other ideas, spotting she had lost the ball before grounding.

GAMESTAR: Tara Jane Stanley was all class in guiding York to a famous win, and will be a huge miss in the Grand Final.

GAMEBREAKER: Twice York survived awarded tries, as both Georgia Elliston and Ebony Stead were denied by the video referee at key points.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Liv Wood’s try epitomised the superior power of York.

MATCHFACTS

RHINOS
1 Ruby Enright
5 Liv Whitehead
4 Evie Cousins
15 Connie Boyd
2 Ebony Stead
6 Mel Howard
7 Ruby Walker
8 Ella Donnelly
9 Keara Bennett
22 Lois Naidole
11 Lacey Owen
12 Lucy Murray
28 Bella Sykes
Subs (all used)
10 Kaiya Glynn
13 Shannon Brown
14 Ruby Bruce
26 Georgia Elliston
18th woman (not used)
18 Tally Bryer
Also in 21-woman squad
17 Grace Short
21 Frankie Blakey
27 Nicole Kennedy

VALKYRIE
23 Monique Donovan
3 Emma Kershaw
21 Petra Woods
28 Amelie Lenham
2 Eboni Partington
1 Tara Jane Stanley
7 Ellie Williamson
8 Liv Wood
9 Sinead Peach
15 Megan Pakulis
25 Adaoha Akwiwu
12 Savannah Andrade
24 Lisa Parker
Subs (all used)
10 Jas Bell
14 Izzy Bibby
16 Agnes Wood
18 Izzy Brennan
18th woman (not used)
19 Brooke Henderson
Also in 20-woman squad
26 Liv Turner
29 Kate Howard

Tries: L Wood (22), Akwiwu (64)
Goals: Stanley 2/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-8; 0-12

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match
Rhinos: Connie Boyd; Valkyrie: Tara Jane Stanley

Penalty count: 3-5
Half-time: 0-8
Referee: Denton Arnold