YORK VALKYRIE 18 LEEDS RHINOS 14
EMMA KENNEDY, LNER Community Stadium, Sunday

TARA JANE STANLEY was back to her vintage best as York claimed their first Super Four win over second-placed Leeds.

The visitors were the favourites, having all but secured their place in the end-of-season play-off, but despite threatening a late comeback, could not get over the line as the Valkyrie produced their best performance of the season.

Leeds started the better of the sides, breaking the deadlock with four minutes played. Off the back of a repeat set, Mel Howard shifted play left to Lucy Murray, who sent Ebony Stead into the corner.

But York responded well, in no small part thanks to Stanley’s growing influence in her first home match in two years after a long injury absence.

The England international was back to her best, breaking a tackle and finding Tamzin Renouf on her shoulder to score next to the posts, before goaling to put the hosts in front.

Stanley then turned scorer for her first try since August 2024, characteristically weaving her way through the Rhinos’ defence and adding the extras to open up a 12-4 lead.

Continuing to threaten, York’s halfbacks combined to create an opportunity for Megan Pakulis, but the forward’s pass wide bounced past Eboni Partington and into touch.

Having forced the hosts into a handling error deep in their own half, Leeds looked to close the gap on the stroke of half-time, but Ruby Enright was stopped just short on the hooter.

The Rhinos started the second half as they had the first, but York scrambled well to hold them out, with Monique Donovan alert to collect a teasing Howard grubber on her line.

Instead, the Valkyrie extended their lead on 50 minutes, Pakulis proving too strong from close range as she took a handful of Leeds defenders with her under the posts, Stanley’s goal taking the score to 18-4.

It took a moment of magic from Nicole Kennedy, who broke through the defensive line and raced 60 metres before rounding Donovan to score, to bring Leeds back into the game five minutes later, Howard superbly goaled from out wide – crucially her only success from the tee.

The visitors lost Ruby Bruce to injury, but closed the gap to four points after Emma Kershaw’s knock-on was punished by Liv Whitehead, who raced into the right corner against her former club with just over a quarter of an hour remaining.

With the wind in their sails, Leeds began to put the Valkyrie line under siege, but a handling error proved a huge let-off for the hosts.

Donovan thought she had made sure of York’s victory in the final minute after a neat chip and chase, only for referee Matt Clayton to rule the try out.

But that in the end mattered little, with the hooter bringing with it scenes of jubilation for the hosts.

GAMESTAR: Tara Jane Stanley was back to her best, with Leeds struggling to contain her.

GAMEBREAKER: A late Leeds knock-on, which killed their momentum when they had a real chance of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

MATCHFACTS

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
11 Tamzin Renouf
12 Savannah Andrade
24 Lisa Parker
Subs
10 Jas Bell
14 Izzy Bibby
18 Izzy Brennan
19 Brooke Henderson (not used)

Tries: Renouf (9), Stanley (16), Pakulis (50)
Goals: Stanley 3/3

RHINOS
1 Ruby Enright
5 Liv Whitehead
4 Evie Cousins
15 Connie Boyd
2 Ebony Stead
6 Mel Howard
7 Ruby Walker
22 Lois Naidole
9 Keara Bennett
10 Kaiya Glynn
27 Nicole Kennedy
12 Lucy Murray
13 Shannon Brown
Subs (all used)
14 Ruby Bruce
20 Jess Sharp
26 Georgia Elliston
28 Bella Sykes

Tries: Stead (4), Kennedy (55), Whitehead (64)
Goals: Howard 1/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 12-4; 18-4, 18-10, 18-14

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

Penalty count: 6-3
Half-time: 12-4
Referee: Matt Clayton