- May 17

St Helens v York Valkyrie - Match Preview

🤝 York RLFC Match Previews are proudly sponsored by David Lloyd York!

York Valkyrie will be seeking to feature at Wembley Stadium for the first time in the team’s history when they face St Helens in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Semi-Finals on Saturday (11.15am).

The venue of the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final was moved to Wembley Stadium last year, a marked step forward for the women’s game and recognition for its huge growth within the wider sport.

St Helens and Leeds Rhinos contested last year’s showdown at Wembley, with Saints running out as 22-8 winners and claiming a third straight Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup in the process.

Matty Smith’s side progressed to the Final after a dramatic 17-16 victory over York in the Semi-Final at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium in July.

The two sides were locked at 16-16 heading into the final five minutes before a last-minute field goal from Saints half-back Faye Gaskin sealed their place at the sport’s grandest stage.

The Valkyrie have since twice beaten St Helens and will be seeking to further avenge last year’s Semi-Final heartbreak with a third victory over Saints.

York claimed a first ever away win at St Helens when prevailing 18-8 at the Totally Wicked Stadium last July, having trailed 8-0 away to the former Betfred Women’s Super League champions.

Lindsay Anfield’s squad then produced an ever more stirring comeback in this year’s Betfred Women’s Super League season opener as a penultimate-minute try from ex-Saint Carrie Roberts inspired a 20-16 triumph at the LNER Community Stadium.

While York can boast the better of the most recent head-to-head meetings between the two sides, the pedigree in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup belongs firmly to St Helens, who have won the last three editions of the competition.

Saints overcame York 34-6 at the Leigh Sports Village in Anfield’s maiden season at the helm in 2021 before backing that up at Elland Road with an 18-8 win over Leeds Rhinos the following year. The seven-time Cup winners then claimed their most recent piece of silverware over Leeds at Wembley in August.

Tickets for York Valkyrie's Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Semi-Final against St Helens (11.15am) are available to purchase from the Club Shop now!

Category Two tickets are in Block E3 of the East Stand are priced at £30 for Adults, £22 for Concessions (over-65s and students) and £15 for Under-16s. Category Three tickets are in Blocks 45 and 46 and are priced at £20 for Adults, £15 for Concessions (over-65s and students) and £10 for Under-16s.

Follow York RLFC on social media to support our IMG score: