League Express editor MARTYN SADLER recommends five Rugby League matches that will be good to watch in June.
JUNE is a big month for State of Origin in the southern hemisphere and, in 2024, for the Challenge Cup in the northern hemisphere, which means that it will be a great month for rugby league supporters.
Here are the games we recommend you watch out for this month.
Wednesday, 5th June
Ampol State of Origin Game 1
New South Wales v Queensland
Accor Stadium, Sydney (11.05am, Sky Sports Arena)
This season the Blues have appointed a new coach in former Wigan chief Michael Maguire, who gave up his position as head coach of New Zealand in order to take the New South Wales job. He will face the victorious Billy Slater, who coached the Maroons to a 2-1 series success in 2023.
Queensland’s chances appear to have been enhanced because of injuries suffered by several Blues’ stars, including Nathan Cleary, Tom Trbojevic and Mitchell Moses, that will keep them out of the opening game. Having said that, the Blues have the advantage of playing the first game of the series on their home ground and, with Queensland going into the series as the strong favourites, Maguire will be calling on his players to produce a backs-to-the-wall effort to start the series with a victory.
Thursday, 6th June
Ampol Women’s State of Origin Game 2
New South Wales v Queensland
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (10.45am BST, Sky Sports Arena)
The Women’s State of Origin series has been extended to three matches for the first time in 2024 and the rivalry between the two teams is as strong as it is in the men’s game.
The Blues won the first game 12-22 at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in front of an impressive crowd of 25,492, with Newcastle Knights’ Yasmin Clydsdale the Blues star on the night and with the second game of the series taking place at her home ground.
The Maroons will be battling to keep the series alive but, led by their hugely experienced captain Ali Brigginshaw, and with Tamika Upton a constant threat from fullback, they have the ability to strike back to level the series and take a decider into the final game, which this season will be held at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium on 27 June.
Saturday, 8th June
Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final
St Helens v Leeds Rhinos
Wembley Stadium, London (11.45pm, BBC2)
You will have to set off early from the north of England if you want to arrive in time for this season’s Women’s Challenge Cup Final this month.
Women’s Rugby League is growing in stature each year and last year the final was moved to Wembley for the first time, with St Helens defeating Leeds Rhinos to win the trophy and Saints’ star Tara Jones scoring the first women’s try at the national stadium.
The same two teams will be back at Wembley this month and Leeds will be hoping to reverse that result this time around. With the Women’s game on a high, we can surely expect another thrilling encounter that will also be broadcast live on the BBC for those who can’t make it to the national stadium.
Saturday, 8th June
Betfred Challenge Cup Final
Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves
Wembley Stadium, London (3.00pm, BBC1)
The Challenge Cup Final will experience a new June date at Wembley Stadium this year as Wigan and Warrington do battle against each other for the first time since 1990, when 77,729 spectators attended the old Wembley to see Wigan triumph 36-14 at a time when they were at the height of their powers. Whether Wigan can repeat a victory on that scale, or a victory at all, will depend on whether the Wolves can rise to the occasion under their rookie coach Sam Burgess.
Burgess has his club battling it out at the top of the Super League table in his first year at the helm and a Wembley triumph would ensure that NRL clubs would be looking to take him back to Australia as soon as next season.
But Wigan are clearly the team to beat in 2024 and their star player Bevan French will surely be a strong contender for this season’s Lance Todd Trophy.
Saturday, 8th June
AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final
Wakefield Trinity v Sheffield Eagles
Wembley Stadium, London (5.30pm, Super League+)
The 1895 Cup Final will be a battle between two clubs representing Yorkshire cities, both of which have previously won the Challenge Cup. Wakefield’s last success was in 1963, when they defeated Wigan 25-10, while the Eagles had more recent success, when they also defeated Wigan 17-8 in 1998.
The two clubs are coached by Daryl Powell and Mark Aston, whose playing careers both began with the Eagles, with Aston having won the Lance Todd Trophy in 1998. He also coached the Eagles to their 36-18 success over Widnes Vikings in the inaugural 1895 Cup Final at Wembley in 2019.
In fact the Eagles have never lost at Wembley, having won on both occasions they appeared at the national stadium, whereas Wakefield have a record of four wins and two defeats in Wembley Challenge Cup Finals.
Trinity will be ever more determined to win because victory in the 1895 Cup will gain them 0.25 points in the IMG gradings, which could be just enough to gain them admission to Super League in 2025.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 497 (June 2024)
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