THE Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were the chief guests at Headingley on Friday when Rugby League marked International Women’s Day with a celebration of the past, present and future of the women’s and girls’ game.
The Duke and Duchess attended before they were guests of honour at the 2024 Community Sport and Recreation Awards.
The Duke was presented with a No.60 Leeds Rhinos jersey carrying the initials HRH, ahead of his 60th birthday on Sunday – after watching a coaching session involving 40 girls from three local schools (Leeds West Academy, Cockburn School and Mount St Mary’s), Lois Forsell and other coaches from the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, the England international Amy Hardcastle, and Kim Leadbeater MP, the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Sport.
The royal visitors were also shown an exhibition of the heritage of the Great Britain Lionesses by Julia Lee, Rugby League’s first female referee who has led the campaign for recognition for former internationals, and Lisa McIntosh, the former England forward, who was one of the first women inducted to the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2022.
RFL chief executive Tony Sutton said: “On behalf of the sport, and also Leeds Rhinos, it has been an honour to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh to Headingley as we celebrate International Women’s Day – and also the 2024 Community Sport and Recreation Awards.
“We were grateful for the opportunity to share with the Duke and Duchess the journey of women’s and girls’ Rugby League, with Julia Lee and Lisa McIntosh reflecting on the sacrifices made by the pioneers of the Great Britain Lionesses several decades ago, followed by a brilliant display of skills from youngsters who have discovered the sport through the Leeds Rhinos.
“Julia, Lisa and Amy Hardcastle then represented the sport at the awards ceremony which followed – and were inspired, with everyone else in the audience, by the examples of commitment and sacrifice from the winners and all the nominees.
“I can’t envisage a better way to celebrate International Women’s Day, as we look forward to the start of the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup, and the road to the competition’s second Wembley final in June as Rugby League looks to build on the history made by St Helens and Leeds last year.”
