RBKnight

Great to have a double-header with both games (on paper) in the balance. Setting off in half an hour!

At the halfway point in the regular season in the top division of Super League, York Valkyrie are sitting pretty, undefeated with five wins out of five. The next three weeks will shape their run in - they face Leeds on Sunday at home (KO 12pm - no broadcast announcement yet), then St Helens two weeks in row, first in the Challenge Cup Semi-Final (live on BBC) on Saturday 22nd July, then away on the Friday in the league (5.30pm KO, live on Sky) That's a tough schedule, but they're in good physical nick (only Georgie Hetherington injured, but with the addition of French skipper Elisa Akpa) and I'm backing them to win all three...... The big improvement for me this year at York has been in the half-backs. 19yo Liv Gale is now visibly physically stronger and provides a real running threat on the left. On the right, Sade Rihari's ball-handling skills are serving up scoring opportunities to her outside backs.

Surprised by the number predicting a York home win against the Eagles ....... not saying it's not a possibility, but as a Knights fan, I see this as too close to call !

It's the hope that kills you......

Now 31-14 ........

There's certainly a lot to deter Championship clubs and their supporters from feeling enthusiastic about a decent cup run. Aaron Bower has written a shocking piece about how little championship clubs (and players) earn from cup fixtures https://thirteenrugby.com/2023/06/16/special-report-the-harrowing-financial-reality-of-playing-in-the-challenge-cup/ The extra fixtures can also be an unwelcome burden on a club going through a tough time injury-wise, or threatened with being dragged into a relegation struggle. For hard-up supporters, the fact that the cup games aren't on the season ticket can mean disappointing attendances from home fans. But, but, but........ Championship clubs, players and fans don't get many opportunities to go to Wembley and appear on a national stage. York is in the position of having a chance of getting two teams on the same day at Wembley, with the unbeaten Valkyrie facing Saints in a CC semi-final, and the Knights having a home draw against Batley in the 1895 cup semi-final. If York got two teams to Wembley this year, it would be a momentous day for Rugby League in the city. I might be the only one, but I would happily take that opportunity if it was a choice between that or scraping 6th place in the Championship.

It seems to be the owners' actions that caused this tbh - starting with the sacking of Rhys Lovegrove.

Yesterday, York rested Tara, Grace Field and Rhiannon Marshall, as.well as being without the suspended Tamzin Renouf and the injured Lacey Owen and Georgie Hetherington. Excellent to see the strength in depth (two 17 year olds playing as well)

Did they think of asking ? (if not Akpa, any other french players - Elisa indicated last year she wanted to come back to York)

Bit of an open secret, but the official announcement today of the return to York Valkyrie of the current French captain Elisa Akpa, after the end of the French season. A forward who can play front or back row, Elisa played big games for York at the back end of last year's campaign. A very handy addition for York.

Given the blow-out scores already being inflicted on the bottom two teams by the top three in Super League 1, do you think expanding the top division from six to eight clubs next year might be "too much, too soon" ?

Any witnesses to Swinton's great victory against Sheffield ? I certainly didn't see that one coming, and the bare report in LE doesn't give much of a clue about what when wrong for the Eagles. Waiting with bated breath for a five minute Tubby Ashton spectacular to be posted on YouTube.......

Better!

Well deserved victory for the Knights against Fax, and a good game. A few mutinous voices regarding Mr Grix's position being voiced by Fax fans on the bus leaving the ground......

York has loaned them three of our U19s for their WSL fixture against Saints this Sunday - in Yorkshire we're all heart

Three York players from the Valkyrie U19s have gone on short term loan to Huddersfield Giants for Sunday's fixture against St Helens - Chevelle Clarke, Eva Izumi and T'leesha Frederick-Maynard. Promising players, but never played in WSL..... Teenage half-back Chloe Smith has gone on dual registration with Castleford in League 2 (presumably to get more playing time)

"St Helens Women are delighted to announce the signing of centre, Erin Stott from Huddersfield."

If Wigan had played in the 1st semi-final, I think they would have won the final. Only having a short turn-around - barely 15 mins, as the tournament was running late due to injuries - left them with hardly any time to recover (especially as they were reliant on a smaller core of key players than the likes of Leeds, Saints and York) Looking forward to watching Wigan at York this Sunday (12 noon KO) - they'll be a decent crowd too. It's a double header, with York Knights playing Halifax at 3pm, and hospitality places have already sold out.

Back to 16-all ...... nerve-shredding radio!

Haven lead York 16-10 at half-time. Knights took an early 10-0 lead, before being pegged back and ending the half on the back foot.

10 nil - Myles Harrison made the kick!

Don't forget that the No 9 bus to the stadium has a stop very close to The Swan on Bishopthorpe Road

Do you Know what the donkeys at Morecambe get for lunch ? About half an hour, same as they get at Blackpool.....

33- nil Wigan - a very entertaining team to watch

Wigan looked to have actually selected a team to play 9s Rugby, Warrington not so much. 19-0 at h/t