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York Valkyrie secured top spot in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Group One after an 80-6 thrashing of Featherstone Rovers at the York St John University Sports Park.
Eboni Partington, Emma Kershaw, Tara Jane Stanley and Carrie Roberts all bagged doubles in the 15-try victory, with Tamzin renouf, Alex Stimpson, Sade Rihari, Lucy Eastwood, Kelsey Gentles, Rhiannion Marshall and Kira Fitzpatrick also crossing the whitewash.
The result sealed York’s place atop Group One of the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup, setting up a home Quarter-Final against Featherstone on Sunday 14th April.
The Valkyrie needed less than a minute to hit the front, with Stanley’s kick-off forcing an error before Renouf went over from the resultant scrum.
Partington doubled the lead with a sublime 70m try before Jas Bell put Alex Stimpson over to the left of the sticks.
Stanley converted the latter two tries and would finish the afternoon with 10 goals from 15 attempts.
Two more tries followed in the next three minutes. Rihari capitalised on room down the blindside and then a classy tip pass from Stanley sent Kershaw away down the right edge.
Kershaw completed her double thanks to a neat Rihari pass and the tries kept on flowing when Eastwood bagged a debut try, dummying over from close to the sticks before the half-hour.
Interchange Gentles got in on the action by driving under the sticks and the one-sided action continued right until the half-time hooter when the supporting Stanley finished a Lacey Owen break before the interval, at which point the hosts held a 52-0 lead.
The Valkyrie needed just nine second-half minutes to pick up from where they left off as half-time interchange Roberts touched down in the right corner.
Fellow impact sub Marshall got on the scoresheet by scything under the sticks before Partington rounded off her brace. The England winger cut inside from the left edge and burrowed determinedly through the plentiful Featherstone tryline defence.
Roberts and Stanley also finished with a pair of tries. Roberts touched down from Stanley’s dance around a couple of defender before the assister turned scorer, ghosting across the line before twisting over the whitewash to the left of the sticks.
York’s final score went to debutant trialist Kira Fitzpatrick who finished down the right edge after good build-up work from Rihari then Roberts.
Featherstone did at least register a consolation try before the final hooter, ex-York half-back Chloe Smith going in at the left corner from marker with Tally Bryer converting off the touchline.
York: Stanley, Partington, Renouf, Kershaw, Izumi, Rihari, Eastwood, Wood, Hetherington, Stimpson, Owen, Andrade, Bell
Subs (all used): Marshall, Gentles, Roberts, Fitzpatrick
18th Player: Sharp
Tries: Renouf (1’), Partington (6’, 57’), Stimpson (10’), Rihari (13’), Kershaw (16’, 23’), Eastwood (27’), Gentles (31’), Stanley (39’, 65’), Roberts (49’, 61’), Marshall (54’), Fitzpatrick (68’)
Goals: Stanley (10/15)
Featherstone: Waters, Prescott, Copley, Johnson, Price, Bryer, Grace, Mannion, Blackburn, Churm, Watt, Davies, Billington
Subs (all used): Smith, Harrison, Courtney, Evans
18th Player: Kennedy
Tries: Smith (74’)
Goals: Bryer (1/1)
