Sat 12th Aug: Women's Challenge Cup Final: Leeds Rhinos v St Helens KO 12:00 (BBC)

[JonNgog]

1 minute ago, DoubleD said:

The women’s game in this country is really poor quality, makes it hard to watch

I appreciate it’s come from a standing start though so will hopefully look very different in 10 years time 

personally I’m not sure how helpful it is to showcase it on national TV as ‘elite’ sport at this stage of its development. It’s very very early days and needs to be given time and space to find its feet.

[DoubleD]

2 minutes ago, JonNgog said:

personally I’m not sure how helpful it is to showcase it on national TV as ‘elite’ sport at this stage of its development. It’s very very early days and needs to be given time and space to find its feet.

I understand your point but I think any exposure is beneficial. The more eyeballs the game gets, the more interest it can potentially gain. 

[Futtocks]

That's how to start the second half! I think Beevers ran past about half the Saints players.

Edited August 12, 2023 by Futtocks

[High Peak Rhino]

There's been some top quality tries from both sides. Those decrying the quality need to look a little closer. 

[thunder pete]

24 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

The women’s game in this country is really poor quality, makes it hard to watch

I appreciate it’s come from a standing start though so will hopefully look very different in 10 years time 

I ish I knew as much about it as you.

I;m just thoroughly enjoying it

[Futtocks]

Shona Hoyle strikes back for St Helens.

[JonNgog]

8 minutes ago, High Peak Rhino said:

There's been some top quality tries from both sides. Those decrying the quality need to look a little closer. 

I was enjoying it but the barmaid turned it off - “I can’t watch any more of that”. Back home for the second half !

[Fevrover]

10 minutes ago, JonNgog said:

I was enjoying it but the barmaid turned it off - “I can’t watch any more of that”. Back home for the second half !

Saved  yer some money - miserable sod,yer should have told her not to watch it then lol.

[BroncoFan]

Leeds have been a rabble, the occasion has got to them.

[Ragingbull]

No matter what the sport, its always great to see L***s get beat in a final! 

Well done Saints

[Futtocks]

Those first Saints tries (two of three converted) did for Leeds. Too many points to claw back against such a good side.

[Ragingbull]

Just a shame the majority of young kids/girls who are in to sport will have been watching ITV and not this game. 

Could only happen to RL 

Edited August 12, 2023 by Ragingbull

[17 stone giant]

7 minutes ago, Ragingbull said:

Just a shame the majority or young kids/girls who are in to sport will have been watxhing ITV and not this game. 

Could only happen to RL 

It's unfortunate, but it's only one year. It's not regularly that it's going to clash with a women's football world cup with the Lionesses playing at the same time.

Plus people nowadays watch things again on YouTube or BBC iPlayer, so there are opportunities for them to see it.

Just as an aside, the area outside Wembley stadium looks awesome nowadays. Much better than the run down area it was when I first started going to Wembley in the 1990s.

[Chrispmartha]

50 minutes ago, BroncoFan said:

Leeds have been a rabble, the occasion has got to them.

Losing two players hasn’t helped 

[THE RED ROOSTER]

1 hour ago, JonNgog said:

personally I’m not sure how helpful it is to showcase it on national TV as ‘elite’ sport at this stage of its development. It’s very very early days and needs to be given time and space to find its feet.

Bit uncharitable, if your watching women's sport you have to get your head around the fact that it girls against girls so you are not going to get the same blood and thunder you get in the male game.

The second St Helens try would not have been out of place with the man's side though.

[shrewsbury roughyed]

Fantastic interview with Jodie Cunningham in particular. Well done every player and members of each club. 

[Dunbar]

It's a strange argument to suggest that the standard of play should dictate whether we should broadcast it.

I don't switch off the first rounds of the men's Challenge Cup because I know the teams would be hammered by a Super League Academy team... I just enjoy the game - the same as any game of League.

[RL Tragic]

1 hour ago, JonNgog said:

personally I’m not sure how helpful it is to showcase it on national TV as ‘elite’ sport at this stage of its development. It’s very very early days and needs to be given time and space to find its feet.

I can’t agree more , Before people start screeching and shouting, I’m in awe or anyone man or woman who plays any sport , and I congratulate the St Helens team today . Personally I prefer to watch the women’s game of some sports , Tennis for example without the aces and ridiculous speed with such a small ball in the men’s game , you don’t see the rally’s , However with the nature of RL where Pace and power is so evident and visual RL and the level that the UKs women’s game it doesn’t make for a great spectacle. I’m sat with a group of non RL people and the feedback was highly negative. I’m just wondering if at this stage the women’s final is adding to the event . 

[GeordieSaint]

Great game and a great win for this fantastic Saints team. 3 on the bounce. Superb. 

[Dunbar]

1 hour ago, RL Tragic said:

I can’t agree more , Before people start screeching and shouting, I’m in awe or anyone man or woman who plays any sport , and I congratulate the St Helens team today . Personally I prefer to watch the women’s game of some sports , Tennis for example without the aces and ridiculous speed with such a small ball in the men’s game , you don’t see the rally’s , However with the nature of RL where Pace and power is so evident and visual RL and the level that the UKs women’s game it doesn’t make for a great spectacle. I’m sat with a group of non RL people and the feedback was highly negative. I’m just wondering if at this stage the women’s final is adding to the event . 

What it is adding is publicity for a fast growing sport, with over 12,000 women playing Rugby League already... 30% of the men's game in a short space of time.

And with that growth will come higher quality players rising to the top which is nature of drawing from an ever increasing player pool.

The standards of women's team sports that have been traditionally been seen as men only (RL/RU/Football) is rising quickly and will continue to rise quickly.  And part of that is to place it onto the larger stages - stadia and media.  Hiding it away will suppress it.

I respect your view but with that respect in mind I have to say it is an incredibly short sighted outlook.

Edited August 12, 2023 by Dunbar

[RL Tragic]

2 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

What it is adding is publicity for a fat growing sport, with over 12,000 women playing Rugby League already... 30% of the men's game in a short space of time.

And with that growth will come higher quality players rising to the top which is nature of drawing from an ever increasing player pool.

The standards of women's team sports that have been traditionally been seen as men only (RL/RU/Football) is rising quickly and will continue to rise quickly.  And part of that is to place it onto the larger stages - stadia and media.  Hiding it away will suppress it.

I respect your view but with that respect in mind I have to say it is an incredibly short sighted outlook.

Fair point I totally agree with you on the commercial aspect , I think my concern is wether the Women’s game in the UK is at the level yet to promote it as an elite level . I think part of it is that the competition is developing and also the very nature of RL and how evident the speed of the game is . Ultimately if it’s beneficial then great . 

[Richard de la Riviere]

Two years ago, I watched my first women’s game - the challenge cup final between York and St Helens. It was a fabulous game, and I marvelled at the quality of tries scored by Emily Rudge and Amy Hardcastle, both set up by great passes by Jodie Cunningham. 

Since then, most games involving two of the big three have been fantastic. Today wasn’t a classic with Leeds well below their best, but the women’s game holds its own in every regard for me. If you don’t like it, fair enough. I’ve gone off the men’s game. Each to their own. 

And a word for my mate Channy Crowl, whose autobiography I’ll be publishing soon (next year I think). She was immense. That was the perfect prop-forward performance. Player of the match by a mile! 

[RBKnight]

3 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

Losing two players hasn’t helped 

It's not just that - their right edge was awful all afternoon, thought their skipper Hannah Butcher (who should have been instrumental in sorting it) was pretty poor all match. Down the left was a different kettle of fish altogether. Deserved win for Saints, but I thought the margin flattered them a little. Plenty of good possession, and they occasionally made the Saints pack look ponderous, but a real lack of composure in the final third of the pitch from Leeds.

[RigbyLuger]

2 hours ago, Richard de la Riviere said:

Two years ago, I watched my first women’s game - the challenge cup final between York and St Helens. It was a fabulous game, and I marvelled at the quality of tries scored by Emily Rudge and Amy Hardcastle, both set up by great passes by Jodie Cunningham. 

Since then, most games involving two of the big three have been fantastic. Today wasn’t a classic with Leeds well below their best, but the women’s game holds its own in every regard for me. If you don’t like it, fair enough. I’ve gone off the men’s game. Each to their own. 

And a word for my mate Channy Crowl, whose autobiography I’ll be publishing soon (next year I think). She was immense. That was the perfect prop-forward performance. Player of the match by a mile! 

 

[Futtocks]