St.Helens 18-28 York Valkyrie: Match Report

10 hours ago
3 min read

York Valkyrie got an important 28-18 win over St.Helens at the BrewDog Stadium to increase their hopes of securing third place in the Super 4s of the Betfred Women’s Super League.

A near flawless first half saw York build an unassailable 18 point lead, helped by a hat-trick from Savannah Andrade.

Saints got into the game in the second half and reduced the deficit to 10 points, but the Valkyrie worked hard to record back to back wins in the competition.

It was also the Valkyrie’s first win at St.Helens since the 2024 Grand FInal.

York’s first half was some of their best rugby of the season, with strong defence and a high completion rate. They almost scored in the opening moments when Eboni Partington slipped a ball out of the tackle on the last to Tara-Jane Stanley, but she couldn’t quite reach the line to touch down.

More pressure turned into two tries from Savannah Andrade in five minutes. First, they elected to run the ball on the last of the set and Andrade did the rest with a mazy run from 20 metres out. Stanley landed the conversion from the touchline.

A knock on from Amy Hardcastle at the restart gave York more great position. The ball was moved right and Andrade found space again.

Stanley followed up with a try of her own, stepping through from 20 metres out and converting for an 18-0 lead.

St.Helens’ eventually got a chance with half an hour gone from a York error inside their own half. Jodie Cunningham fed Vicky Whitfield to go through a gap, and Faye Gaskin converted.

Saints were allowed to build more pressure from there, and it was only a tackle from Petra Woods that denied Emily Rudge from touching down.

As it was, Andrade went in for her hat-trick, dummying her way over from 20 metres out. Stanley added the goal for a perfect first half record.

A strong start to the second half from St.Helens forced York to drop out from beneath their own posts. Cunningham almost put Whitfield in for another, but it was Alyx Bridge who ran a good line to crash in for a converted try from another Cunningham pass.

Saints gradually started to build some dominance with territory, but when York got a chance, they took it. Adaoha Akwiwu swept through the defence after taking the pass from Pakulis. Stanley missed the conversion for the first time in the game.

Back to back six again calls gave Saints another chance to build pressure as play swung from one end to the other, only for a knock on to break their momentum.

With errors creeping into York’s game, Saints came again, and Shona Hoyle-Holdsworth’s power proved too much to stop her from crashing in. Gaskin added the goal to reduce the gap to 10 points with 10 minutes remaining.

York were made to defend in the final minutes of the game, and despite Saints going close, the Valkyrie defence held out for a crucial win.

They face each other again next Sunday at the LNER Community Stadium.

St.Helens: Dennis, Hardcastle, Sheron, Woosey, McGifford, Harris, Gaskin, Hoyle, Casey, McDonald, Travis, Rudge, Cunningham

Subs: (all used) Hook, Whitfield, Mottershead, Bridge

18th Player: McVernon

Tries: Whitfield (34), Bridge (43), Hoyle-Holdsworth (70)

Goals: Gasin (3/3)

York: Donovan, Kershaw, Woods, Akwiwu, Partington, Stanley, Williamson, O Wood, Peach, Pakulis, Renouf, Andrade, Parker

Subs: (all used) Bibby, Bell, Brennan, Henderson

18th Player: Howard

Tries: Andrade (11,16, 39), Stanley (22), Akwiwu (57)

Goals: Stanley (4/5)