Wigan Warriors Women

Wigan Warriors Women
Club information
Full nameWigan Warriors Rugby League Football Club
FoundedThursday 21st November 1872, (Women’s team created in 2017)
Current details
Ground(s)
CoachDenis Betts
CaptainVictoria Molyneux
CompetitionWomen's Super League
2023 Season4th
Current season
Records
Women's Super League1 (2018)
RFL Women's Nines1 (2024)

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]

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

Wigan 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

Wigan 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

Wigan Warriors Women[6]

England Emily Baggaley – SR, CE

England Lucy Baggaley – PR, LF

England Meg Bragg – SR

England Alison Burrows – WG

England Paige Costello – SR

England Eleanor Dainty – PR

England League Derbyshire – WG

England Anna Davies – WG

England Emma Dwyer – HK

England Olivia Frain – SR

England Lauren Gilham – WG

England Megan Grace-Holding – WG, CE

England Rebecca Greenfield – FB, WG

England Jade Gregory-Haselden – PR

England Beth Hayes – HB

England Carys Marsh – HK, HB

England Danielle Molyneux – WG, LF

England Jessica Jardine – LF

England Victoria Molyneux (VC) – LF, SR

England Clair Radford – HB, HK

England Holly Speakman – PR

England Rachel Thompson (C) – CE, FB

England Katie Stephens – PR

England Emily Stirzaker – HB

England Georgia Wilson – CE

England Vanessa Templer – SR, CE

Seasons

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

Leagues

Grand Final
Winners (1): 2018
League Leader's Shield
Runners-up (1): 2018
Winners (1): 2024
Runners-up (1): 2023

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "Wigan Warriors crowned Women's Super League champions". Rugby Football League. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Women create history with win". 19 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Wigan Athletic & Wigan Warriors to invest in a new Women & Girls elite training centre". 15 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Wigan Warriors announce groundbreaking record". Rugby League News. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Womens | Wigan Warriors".
  7. ^ "Success at Women's Rugby League Nines". Rugby Football League. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Women's Challenge Cup: Leeds Rhinos overcome resolute Wigan Warriors to reach final". BBC Sport. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Leeds Rhinos lift first Women's Rugby League trophy of 2023". Rugby Football League. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Leeds beat Wigan to book third straight final v Saints". BBC Sport. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.