London Broncos Women have finally secured their place in Super League, but promotion is only the beginning. 

WHEN Colin Baker weighs up the challenge facing London Broncos in Women’s Super League, he doesn’t see a standard club taking a routine step up. He sees a capital revolution running on a completely different set of rules.

After two years of agonising near-misses, the head coach watched his side finally break through with a 36-6 win over Leigh Leopards. But while the celebrations were sweet, Baker’s mind turned quickly to the road ahead: turning a squad built in a southern outpost into a permanent, top-flight fixture.

Stepping into Super League isn’t just about training harder or running faster. It means managing long-distance travel, cracking the recruitment code, building youth pathways and flying the flag for an entire region.

One of the stand-out stories of London’s promotion push was the rise of union convert Hermione Titcombe. The centre picked up Player of the Match honours in the 28-10 Championship Final win over Manchester-Swinton Lionesses before running in four tries during the promotion decider against Leigh.

“She came in as a brand new player, brought along by her mate, Polly Roberts, and had a stellar season,” Baker said. “A lot of our team start out in rugby union, but I’m not sure I’ve known anyone adapt to 13-a-side rugby as quickly as she has. She had to step into Nicole Kennedy’s shirt—a tough act to follow—and she really stepped up. I’m delighted for her and her family who were at the final. Before January, they knew very little about rugby league, brand new converts, and now the whole family is hooked!”

Despite individual accolades, Titcombe shifts credit straight back to the forward pack.

“I was just on the end of some good passes and plays,” Titcombe said. “The work done by the middles and the left side opened things up for us on the right, and I was happy to finish them off. The middles work flat out; it’s easy as a centre watching them tackle and make metres to set us up so we can exploit the edges.”

Coming from union, Titcombe adapted on the fly to rugby league’s physical and tactical demands. “I’ve played rugby union my whole life, a proper southern girl,” she explained. “At the start of the season, Polly invited me down to give it a go. I knew nothing about rugby league really, and I just fell in love with it. It’s so much more of a fitness game—so many more metres. But in terms of edge defence, you get to work in the same units every week, so you really trust your inside and outside.”

Unlike northern powerhouses rooted in traditional rugby league heartlands, London Broncos operate in an entirely different landscape. Where some see an uphill struggle, Baker sees a genuine point of difference.

“That’s one of our USPs – introducing rugby league to players who’ve never played it before,” Baker said. “We’ve supplied 16 internationals to seven different countries, so we’re not just contributing to national expansion, but international expansion as well. That cosmopolitan diversity is London’s identity. London isn’t a one-dimensional place, and I’m really proud of that.”

Securing promotion required winning two intense finals in seven days, a gruelling test.

“We’ve been setting this up for a long time,” Titcombe noted. “Five years since the club was set up, we knew we had a long road. Having two finals in seven days meant we couldn’t overthink it; we just had to go out and execute. A lot of the girls playing today have been on the wrong side of previous promotion matches, so getting the job done was huge.”

Baker pointed to squad continuity as a key factor in their success. “When we looked at our Championship Final side compared to the team that won the Southern Championship two years ago, only four players had changed,” Baker noted. “We’ve kept that core together while adding quality.”

Competing at the top level week in, week out raises questions about squad depth, though Baker is realistic about geography.

“My personal belief is that if we could add four or five players to the squad who are coming purely to play rugby league for Broncos Women, that would make the difference for us,” Baker explained. “Are people going to relocate from the North to move to London to play rugby league for Broncos Women? Probably not, unless it’s for work. You have to adapt to what’s realistic.”

Relying purely on adult recruits isn’t sustainable long-term. To survive, London needs its own pipeline. Baker set up the ‘Next Gen’ programme to bridge the gap between junior and senior ranks. Originally planned as a gradual project, a demanding campaign forced several teenagers into the first team early – and they delivered.

“Under-17s like Freya Conlon, who won our Young Player of the Year, ended up playing 10 games,” Baker revealed. “Ellie Redfern played seven, and Ellie Gunter also made her debut.”

Gunter’s rise proves the southern pathway is working. After winning Women & Girls Player of the Season at community club Elmbridge Eagles in 2024, she progressed directly through Next Gen into the senior ranks.

“The initial deal was to develop them as longer-term Broncos players,” Baker added. “When you’re tested early, you throw them in, and they did really well. Now we need to keep building that base underneath.”

On the pitch, surviving in Super League takes tactical composure. Finding a settled spine proved decisive.

“Recruiting Ffion Lewis alongside Jade Walker gave us a settled half-back partnership,” Baker said. “Full-back took time to resolve after losing Lauren Mueller, but once filled, the spine clicked. With Polly Roberts and Iona McCusker complementing each other at hooker, our game management is in a good place.”

As London Broncos take their seat at the top table, their impact extends beyond their own changing room. Alongside Cardiff Demons, London has championed women’s rugby league outside its traditional heartlands. With promotion locked in, Baker, Titcombe and the Broncos have the ultimate platform to inspire the next generation of southern players. The long climb is over; the work to stay at the top starts now.

First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 526 (November 2026)