Betfred Women’s Super League Eliminator semi-final

Wigan Warriors (16) 38

Tries: Coleman 2, R. Hunter, E. Hunter 2, Atherton, Power Goals: Rowe 5

Leeds Rhinos (0) 0

League Leaders’ Shield winners Wigan secured their passage to the Women’s Super League Grand Final with a classy victory against Leeds Rhinos.

Warriors will face arch-rivals St Helens at their home of The Brick Community Stadium, a privilege they secured by finishing first in the regular-season standings, in the competition’s showpiece event.

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Leeds, who ended the regular campaign fourth, have now finished consecutive Super League seasons as losing semi-finalists.

With Wigan’s first attacking opportunity of the match, prop Mary Coleman collected a short pass from Shaniah Power to ease in to the left of the sticks and break the deadlock.

After a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Leeds’ Lucy Murray prevented Anna Davies from a certain try in the right corner, a slick Wigan move saw Ruby Hunter keep her cool to plant the ball over the line and give the hosts a 10-point advantage.

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Hunter’s sister, Eva, then caught the Leeds defence cold with a direct run straight from a penalty, sweeping aside a couple of missed tackles to dive over.

The first half ended on a sour note when Leeds captain Caitlin Beevers was helped off the pitch by medical staff after sustaining what looked to be a reoccurrence of a knee injury.

After Wigan had fortuitously been given a penalty for a knock-on, they scored their fourth try of the night two minutes into the second period as Mia-Jayne Atherton span away from a tackle to barge over under the sticks.

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Coleman then got her second try, with a determined carry and finish, handing off Leeds full-back Ebony Stead before dotting down.

On her 20th birthday, Grace Banks was then denied an outstanding personal try when her foot was spotted to be in touch, before Eva Hunter came from the blind side to bag her second of the night and 20th Super League try of the season.

A fantastic line break and finish from Power then gave Wigan their seventh try, before terrific scrambling defending from Eva Hunter stopped Stead getting a late consolation score for the visitors.

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Wigan: Banks; Davies, Wilson, M. Jones, R. Hunter; Foubister, Rowe; Coleman, Wilton, Molyneux; E. Hunter, C. Jones, Williams.

Interchanges: Marsh, S. Power, Veivers, Atherton.

Leeds Rhinos: Stead; Nuttall, Boyd, Beevers, Whitehead; Howard, Walker; Sykes, Bruce, Donnelly; Brown, Murray, Dainton.

Interchanges: Bennett, Owen, Glynn, Blakey.

Referee: Tara Jones.