The Leigh Leopards Women are a women's rugby League team based in Leigh, Greater Manchester, England. The team originally competed as the ladies' team of the Leigh Miners Rangers before an agreement between the club and the Leigh Leopards led to the rebranding of the team in late 2022. In 2022 and 2023 the team took part in the Women's Super League before the restructuring of the league which saw them compete in the 2024 Northern Championship. In 2024, they won the National Championship Final and subsequent play-off to earn promotion back to the Super League in the 2025 season.
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Leigh Leopards Rugby League Football Club |
| Website | leighleopards.co.uk/womens-team |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) |
|
| Competition | RFL Women's Super League |
| 2024 | 1st (Northern Championship) |
History
editLeigh Miners Rangers
editIn the early 2010s Leigh took part in the Women's Rugby League Conference where in 2012 they defeated Brighouse 12–10 to win the Plate competition.[1] Leigh made their Challenge Cup debut in the inaugural 2012 competition, losing to Chorley Panthers in the first round.[1] The following season they defeated Chorley in round one for their first win in the Challenge Cup.[2] In the RFL Women's Rugby League Leigh won the Plate Final in 2015[3] and in the restructured league in 2016 they defeated the Oulton Raidettes 20–12 to become League 1 Champions.[4] In the 2016 Challenge Cup, Leigh reached the final, but lost 62–6 to Thatto Heath Crusaders.[5] In 2021, Leigh topped the Championship and then defeated Barrow Raiders 10–6 in the Grand Final.[6] Both teams were admitted to Group 2 of the Super League for the 2022 season.[7] On 15 May, Leigh made their Super League debut with a 28–14 home win over Wakefield Trinity.[8] They won four of their matches to finish fifth in the table.[9]
Leigh Leopards
editIn October 2022, it was announced that in a partnership agreement between the community and professional clubs in Leigh the Leigh Miners Rangers Ladies were to merge with the Leigh Leopards. Offers were made for the players and members of staff to retain their previous roles and the team would compete in the Super League under the new name.[9][10] In the 2023 season, wins over Barrow and Hull KR in the Challenge Cup saw Leigh progress to the quarter-finals of the competition.[11] The team continued to use Twist Lane as its home,[12] but played their first match at Leigh Sports Village on 11 June against Featherstone Rovers.[13] In the Super League, Leigh were top of Group 2 going into the final day of the regular season ahead of both Barrow and Featherstone Rovers by one point, but 14–12 a loss to Barrow saw them finish in third place.[14][15] They faced Barrow again in the final of the play-offs where a 14–8 loss denied them a place in the restructured Super League in 2024.[16] In January 2024, it was announced that they would be in the Northern Women's Championship.[17] Leigh went unbeaten throughout the regular season and defeated Sheffield Eagles 46–6 in the Grand final to qualify for the National Championship Final against London Broncos, the winners of the Southern Championship.[18] Leigh won 22–18 to lift the trophy.[19] This saw them advance to a play-off match on 6 October against Featherstone Rovers which they won to earn promotion to the Super League for the 2025 season.[20]
Seasons
edit| Season | League | Play-offs | Challenge Cup | Ref. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | ||||
| 2021[a] | Championship | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 246 | 104 | 18 | 1st | Won in Final | Did not participate | [21] |
| 2022[a] | Super League Group 2 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 174 | 298 | 8 | 5th | Did not qualify | GS | [21] |
| 2023 | Super League Group 2 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 271 | 108 | 15 | 3rd | Lost in Final | QF | [21] |
| 2024 | Northern Championship | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 808 | 64 | 32 | 1st | Won in Grand Final[b] | GS | [21] |
References
edit- ^ a b "Leigh Miners Rangers". Women's Rugby League. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Chorley Panthers". Women's Rugby League. Archived from the original on 12 July 2013.
- ^ "Leigh Miners win the Plate in Women's Rugby League Grand Finals". 4 The Love Of Sport. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Leigh Miners and Thatto Heath take the honours at Grand Finals Day". 4 The Love Of Sport. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Thatto Heath double up!". Rugby-League.com. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Leigh Miners win Women's Championship Grand Final". Rugby-League.com. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Betfred Women's Super League to expand again in 2022". Rugby-League.com. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "Betfred Women's Super League Round One Round-Up". Rugby-League.com. 15 May 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Salford Red Devils and Leigh Leopards to join BWSL in 2023". Rugby-League.com. 22 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Leigh Leopards merge with women's team Leigh Miners Rangers for next season". BBC Sport. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Women's Challenge Cup Round-up | Sunday 7 May". Rugby-League.com. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Leigh Miners hosting 'Ladies Night' to promote club and facilities". Leigh Journal. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Leigh's Lachlan Lam has a big call to make on future". Leigh Journal. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ "Betfred Women's Super League play-off and promotion hopes confirmed this weekend". Rugby-League.com. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "Betfred Women's Super League Update – September 10". Rugby-League.com. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "York Valkyrie win first Betfred Women's Super League title in front of record Grand Final crowd". Rugby-League.com. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "New era for Tier Two of Women's Rugby League". Rugby-League.com. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ "Leigh Leopards Women are crowned Northern Championship Champions". Rugby-League.com. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ^ "Leigh Leopards continue their undefeated run and claim National Championship glory". Rugby-League.com. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ "Leigh Leopards Promoted to Super League!". www.womensrl.com. 6 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Match Centre". Rugby-League.com. Retrieved 24 October 2023.