Key Points
- Leeds Rhinos women go into their Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup semi-final against St Helens in Doncaster on Sunday in stronger shape than a year ago, according to coach Lois Forsell.
- Forsell said the side are in a “better spot” after last year’s Wembley dream ended in a heavy 44-14 semi-final defeat to Wigan Warriors.
- Leeds face St Helens at Eco-Power Stadium, Doncaster, with the match forming the curtain-raiser to Warrington Wolves v Hull KR in the men’s semi-final.
- The Rhinos reached this year’s last four after another dominant cup run, including a 68-0 win over Cardiff Demons in the earlier rounds.
- St Helens also arrive in strong form after beating Barrow Raiders 68-6 in the quarter-finals.
- The winner will move one step closer to Wembley, where the Women’s Challenge Cup final is scheduled for Saturday 30 May 2026.
Leeds (The Leeds Times) May 9, 2026 – Leeds Rhinos women head into another major Challenge Cup test with renewed confidence after a cup run that has again underlined their defensive strength and attacking fluency, as reported by Sam Brocksom of the Rhinos’ official website and by rugby-league.com.
As reported by Sam Brocksom of Leeds Rhinos, the Rhinos were knocked out at the semi-final stage last year, when they were beaten 44-14 by Wigan Warriors, a defeat that ended their hopes of a third straight trip to Wembley. In the current campaign, however, Leeds have looked far more assured, and rugby-league.com said they booked their semi-final place after a dominant victory over Cardiff Demons, keeping another clean sheet in the process. The same competition report noted that Leeds had not conceded a point in their early cup games, underlining how controlled their progress has been.
The Rhinos’ route to this stage has therefore been built on the kind of defensive base that coaches often value most in knockout rugby. That matters because cup matches tend to be decided by small errors, field position and momentum shifts, especially against opponents with a proven record of handling pressure.
What did Lois Forsell say?
As reported by Serious About Rugby League, Forsell said Leeds are now in a “better spot” than they were when their Wembley hopes were shattered a year ago.
That wording matters because it points to progress without overstating it: Leeds have improved, but they still have to prove it on the pitch against high-level opposition.
BBC Sport noted that Forsell has helped establish this standard during her time with the club, first as a player and later as head coach, with Leeds now again among the last four in the competition.
The Rhinos’ own coverage of Forsell earlier in the month said she had been pleased with the defensive effort shown in the opening cup games, which supports the view that the team’s current strength is built around structure rather than short-term emotion.
That fits with the wider picture of Leeds’ cup campaign, in which they have repeatedly prevented opponents from building pressure.
In practical terms, Forsell’s assessment suggests Leeds believe they are better prepared for the demands of knockout rugby than they were in 2025. It does not guarantee a result, but it does explain why the club feel this semi-final offers a more realistic route to Wembley than the one they faced a year ago.
Why is St Helens the next test?
St Helens arrive with their own strong record in the competition and with enough quality to make Leeds’ semi-final much more demanding. Rugby-league.com reported that Saints beat Barrow Raiders 68-6 in the quarter-finals, a result that showed they can control games from early on.
BBC Sport said the semi-final is one of the final two steps to Wembley, with St Helens facing Leeds at Doncaster on Sunday at 13:00 BST.
The same report placed the match in the broader context of a final-four race that also features Wigan Warriors and York Valkyrie, meaning the competition’s leading sides are still very much alive.
That makes this fixture less about reputation and more about which team can produce the cleaner, more composed performance on the day.
St Helens have also been used to big occasions in recent seasons, which raises the pressure on Leeds to match their organisation and execution. For a semi-final, that usually means the early stages will be crucial, because the team that settles first often forces the other into chasing the game.
How has this fixture been framed?
The match is being played at Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster as a curtain-raiser to the men’s semi-final between Warrington Wolves and Hull KR, which gives the women’s game a prominent stage.
St Helens’ official match listing confirms the venue and 13:00 kick-off, matching the details reported elsewhere.
That setting gives the fixture extra visibility without changing the basic task for both sides, which is to secure a place at Wembley on 30 May.
In competition terms, the semi-final sits in a decisive moment of the season, with Leeds seeking to turn recent progress into a result that would validate Forsell’s assessment of the team’s growth. St Helens, by contrast, will be aiming to show that their own consistency and big-game habit remain intact.
What happened last year?
Leeds’ recent history in this competition explains why Forsell’s comments carry weight. In the 2025 semi-final, Wigan Warriors beat Leeds 44-14, with the Rhinos kept scoreless in the first half before managing only three second-half tries.
That result ended their Wembley bid and showed the gap that still existed at that time between Leeds and the side that had the better control of the contest.
The official match report said Leeds struggled to find their attacking spark and were hurt by Wigan’s sustained pressure, particularly in the first 40 minutes.
A year on, Leeds’ current cup run suggests they have worked to close that gap by building from defence and being more efficient in possession.
The key question now is whether that improvement is enough against a Saints side with similar ambitions.
Background of this development
The broader development is Leeds Rhinos’ attempt to return to the Women’s Challenge Cup final after falling short in 2025. The competition has moved into its semi-final stage with Leeds, St Helens, Wigan Warriors and York Valkyrie forming the final four, and with Wembley again the prize for the winners.
Leeds had also shown strong form in the earlier rounds this season, including a 68-0 win over Cardiff Demons, and that run has shaped the sense that they are in better shape this year.
Forsell’s comments reflect that continuity: the team have not only advanced, but have done so in a way that suggests more control, more confidence and fewer defensive lapses than in the previous campaign.
The background to Sunday’s match is therefore not just a semi-final, but an ongoing effort by Leeds to turn steady progress into a breakthrough result.
What could happen next?
If Leeds win, the immediate effect for their supporters and the wider women’s game at the club would be a return to Wembley and a chance to convert this season’s improved form into a major final appearance. For the audience around Leeds Rhinos, that would likely reinforce belief that the team have moved beyond last year’s disappointment and are now capable of handling high-pressure knockout rugby.
