Tigresses terrific against Trinity

The big team news ahead of kick-off from coaches Marie Colley & Kirsty Moroney was the addition of the inaugural Woman of Steel, Georgia Roche in the halves, and throughout the match, she showed off her class in what was her first match in over 18-months.

Castleford did not take long to get on the score sheet, five minutes in Tamzin Renouf marched the team up the field, hooker Sinead Peach passed it out to Roche who gave a little drop-off pass to Hollie-Mae Dodd to run in the first four-pointer, following which Wakefield stepped up their game and began getting better field position after a resolute defence from Cas often kept them pinned in their own half.

Roche and Dodd throughout the game linked up well and together set up Casteford's second, Dodd looked like she could have crashed over herself after the ball moved left but fullback Leah Jones got the final pass to finish off a well-worked play. Jones struggled with the conversions today and missed the chance to convert her own effort, but she would get the final points of the game later on.

Trinity made two costly errors before the break, both resulted in tries for Castleford; the first was a mishandled kick which Eva Izumi made the most of on her competitive debut and a Sinead Peach kick was not dealt with well and halfback Lucy Eastwood crashed on it to give the Tigresses a 0-16 lead at half time.

It began as a tussle in the second half with Wakefield and both making errors, Castleford's mistakes though twice came on the left edge where they looked like they could get over but a final pass seemed lacking in the early minutes of the second period. Then up stepped Georgia Roche on that edge...

The #6 fended off two defenders, moved towards the wing, and then cut back inside in a superstar scoring effort. After that point, Castleford got more into a rhythm especially on that side as was shown when a short Roche pass was taken well by Dodd to spin over and reach out to score again. England international Shona Hoyle showed off some terrific solo work of her own to power through the line and race 30m to score, Georgia Roche, scoring the first conversion of the game to make it 0-30. Shortly after Grace Field, unfortunately, had to come off the field due to a knock, which was a real shame as she had a typically barnstorming performance in the middle of the field.

Dodd completed her hat-trick with off another Roche short ball, very flat this time to crash over in more dominance on the left side of the Tigers attack. It was a particularly sweet score at that side for left centre Georgie Hetherington who finished off more link-up play between Dodd and Roche. It was Hetherington's first try in two years as she could be heard saying to her teammates in utter joy, but she did not have to wait long for her next one, scoring in the 79th minute in similar fashion.

Leah Jones had yet to score a conversion in the match but chose to take the final kick of the game, calmly she booted it over with a huge grin on her face as the referee blew the whistle.

With victories in the first two games of the season, it's a great start to 2021 Betfred Women's Super League for the Tigers Women, and up next they have a chance to progress through to the semi-finals of the Betfred Women's Challenge Cup away at Warrington Wolves. 

Full Time: Wakefield Trinity Ladies 0-44 Castleford Tigers Women 

Castleford

Leah Jones, Eva Izumi, Georgie Hetherington, Tamzin Renouf, Kaitlin Varley, Georgia Roche, Lucy Eastwood, Grace Field, Sinead Peach, Shona Hoyle, Hollie-Mae Dodd, Tilly Churm, Jasmine Bell.

Interchanges

Amie Backhouse, Libby Priestley, Sam Jordan, Sophie Todd.

Tries: Dodd (3), Jones, Izumi, Eastwood, Roche, Hoyle, Hetherington (2)
Conversions: Jones (1), Roche (1)