Wigan Warriors Women are the official women's team of the Wigan Warriors club. The team is one of eleven teams the club currently boasts. The team was created in 2017 and had its first season in 2018. The club competes in the RFL Women's Super League which the team won during its first season.[1]
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Wigan Warriors Rugby League Football Club |
| Founded | Thursday 21st November 1872, (Women’s team created in 2017) |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) |
|
| Coach | Denis Betts |
| Captain | Victoria Molyneux |
| Competition | Women's Super League |
| 2023 Season | 4th |
 Current season | |
| Records | |
| Women's Super League | 1 (2018) |
| RFL Women's Nines | 1 (2024) |
The team plays its home games at Robin Park Arena, Wigan which doubles as the elite performance facility for many of the Wigan club's teams.
The team are the current holders of the RFL Women's Nines winning the tournament on 28 July 2024 at Craven Park, Hull.
In 2023, England International Victoria Molyneux became the first female inductee into the club's Hall of Fame.
History
editWigan Warriors women's team was established in October 2017 ahead of the 2018 RFL Women's Super League.[1] The team won the league championship in their inaugural season beating Leeds Rhinos 18–16 in the Grand Final at the Manchester Regional Arena.[2] The team played their first match at the DW Stadium during the opening game of the 2024 Super League in a 18–4 victory over Barrow Raiders.[3] Midway through the 2024 season, the club moved their training base to Edge Hall Road which had been redeveloped into an elite women's training facility by Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic.[4]
Teams
editWigan Warriors Women are one of 11 teams operated by Wigan Warriors, the others are:[5]
- Women's academy (under 19s)
- Men's first team
- Men's Reserves
- Men's Academy (under 18s)
- Men's Scholarship (under 16s)
- College development squad (men and women aged 16–18)
- Physical disability
- Learning disability
- Wheelchair (mixed)
- Wheelchair A (wheelchair reserve team)
- Touch Rugby
Players
editWigan Warriors Women[6]
Meg Bragg – SR
Alison Burrows – WG
Paige Costello – SR
Eleanor Dainty – PR
League Derbyshire – WG
Anna Davies – WG
Emma Dwyer – HK
Olivia Frain – SR
Lauren Gilham – WG
Jade Gregory-Haselden – PR
Beth Hayes – HB
Jessica Jardine – LF
Victoria Molyneux (VC) – LF, SR
Holly Speakman – PR
Katie Stephens – PR
Emily Stirzaker – HB
Georgia Wilson – CE
Seasons
edit| Season | League | Play-offs | Challenge Cup |
9s | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | ||||
| 2018 | Super League | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 324 | 128 | 19 | 2nd | Won in Grand Final | SF | — |
| 2019 | Super League | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 328 | 224 | 13 | 4th | Lost in semi-final | QF | |
| 2020 | Super League | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||||||||
| 2021 | Super League | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 254 | 186 | 10 | 5th | Did not qualify | QF | |
| 2022 | Super League | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 104 | 313 | 4 | 4th | Lost in semi-final | QF | QR[7] |
| 2023 | Super League | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 116 | 250 | 7 | 4th | Lost in semi-final | SF[8] | RU[9] |
| 2024 | Super League | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 532 | 144 | 18 | 4th | Lost in semi-final | SF[10] | W |
Honours
editLeagues
edit- Grand Final
- Winners (1): 2018
- League Leader's Shield
- Runners-up (1): 2018
- Grand Final
- Winners (1): 2024
- Runners-up (1): 2023
References
edit- ^ a b "Women's Super League: Wigan Warriors to set up women's rugby league team". BBC Sport. 18 October 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Wigan Warriors crowned Women's Super League champions". Rugby Football League. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Women create history with win". 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Wigan Athletic & Wigan Warriors to invest in a new Women & Girls elite training centre". 15 May 2024.
- ^ "Wigan Warriors announce groundbreaking record". Rugby League News. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ "Womens | Wigan Warriors".
- ^ "Success at Women's Rugby League Nines". Rugby Football League. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Women's Challenge Cup: Leeds Rhinos overcome resolute Wigan Warriors to reach final". BBC Sport. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ "Leeds Rhinos lift first Women's Rugby League trophy of 2023". Rugby Football League. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Leeds beat Wigan to book third straight final v Saints". BBC Sport. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.