266:
By 2023 the women's game has 43 clubs in five divisions, Super League, Super League South, Championship, League 1 and League 2. For 2024 a major restructure is planned which will see Super League comprise eight teams with four regional leagues forming the next tier. Below the regional leagues will be
228:
In 1978, 13-year-old
Elisabeth Beale was, at first, banned and then given permission to play for amateur club, Normanton. Increasing interest for playing lead to the formation of teams and in December 1981 a seven-a-side tournament was organised by the Underbank club in Huddersfield, which attracted
338:
From 2024 the
Championship, League 1 and League 2 will be replaced by four regional leagues; North (Scotland, north and west Cumbria, North East England), Roses (North West England and Yorkshire), Midlands (Midlands and North Wales), and South (South Wales, Southern England). These regional leagues
291:
The first major tour for the Great
Britain team came in 1996 when a tour to Australia was undertaken. Between 1996 and 2002 the team played against southern hemisphere teams in tours and World Cup competitions. From 2007 the Great Britain team was put into abeyance and each nation developed its own
232:
The Women's
Amateur Rugby League Association was formed in 1985 and the following year the first league competition was played with six teams participating. By 1993 the league had expanded to two divisions with 16 teams competing. Over the next two decades the game stagnated due to organisational
183:
Each of the four nations, England, Scotland, Wales and
Ireland has their own governing body and run their own national teams. It is the RFL, the national governing body of the sport in England, that organises most women's competitions including these which have teams from the other nations
167:
were recorded in the 1930s and 1950s but it was not until the 1980s that the Women's Rugby League
Association was formed and the first league was organised. Since then expansion has been gradual with a multi-level competition being established in 2014 by the
1141:
252:, Championship and League 1. The change in structure also saw a change towards a majority of teams in the leagues becoming associated with the professional men's clubs rather than amateur clubs.
1347:
1145:
276:
Under the reforms to be made to the men's game, which re-introduce licensing, having a women's team will become a requirement for a men's club to obtain the top grade licence.
285:
188:
68:
908:
1295:
958:
750:
711:
539:
301:
293:
148:
84:
74:
1327:
297:
79:
1115:
208:
as opposed to being involved in the running of the game are sparse in the first 80 years of the sport. Games are recorded as being played during the
440:
424:
270:
2023 saw the first steps towards the women's game in
Britain becoming professional as York and Leeds announced they would match matchday payments.
972:
172:(RFL), mirroring the structure in the men's game. In 2023 the first steps towards the game turning professional were taken as Super League clubs
327:, Championship, League 1 and League 2 for teams across England, Scotland, and Wales since 2017. However all teams currently competing are from
1196:
335:
was launched for clubs in southern
England and Wales. Women's Super League Midlands and North regional competitions were launched in 2023.
1089:
394:
829:
808:"Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee inquiry into Women's Sport: Written evidence submitted by the Rugby Football League"
942:
667:
498:
1337:
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855:
734:
695:
523:
473:
399:
356:
332:
143:
1352:
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1243:
423:
Historically has governed the whole of the UK, currently has limited presence in
Scotland and Wales and jointly administers the
1332:
612:
404:
318:
273:
The sport has become more popular with the number of women and girls playing increasing by 53% between 2017 and 2021.
324:
249:
248:
After three seasons, the RFL re-organised the league into a structure mirroring the men's game with three divisions,
242:
116:
217:
764:
641:
617:
591:
565:
632:
606:
580:
554:
368:
260:
126:
1119:
909:"York join Leeds Rhinos in trailblazing new commitment ahead of 2023 Women's Super League by paying players"
881:
560:
1168:
351:
launch a domestic league outside the RFL with all teams based in South Wales. The leading club in Wales,
373:
A Challenge Cup competition was started in 2012. In 2023 the final of the competition will be played at
169:
44:
39:
1270:
54:
213:
209:
1067:
952:
782:
744:
705:
533:
378:
348:
177:
49:
1221:
807:
245:
and
Division 1 which was played for by 13 teams, five in the Championship and 11 in Division 1.
1093:
938:
730:
691:
663:
519:
494:
469:
382:
328:
374:
304:
also played their first match in 2021. As of May 2023 Scotland are still to form a team.
1041:
830:"England secure two-year Betfred principal partnership ahead of Rugby League World Cup"
352:
1321:
1042:"England squad for womens Rugby League International - 1st July 2007 SportFocus news"
288:
first appeared in 1989 when two games of and pass rugby were played against France.
173:
1197:"RFL reveals groundbreaking new structure for Women's Super League and lower tiers"
586:
205:
164:
660:
Sporting females: critical issues in the history and sociology of women's sports
1000:
216:. Three games were played in Workington in 1953 during celebrations for the
933:
Till, Kevin; Weakley, Jonathon; Whitehead, Sarah; Jones, Ben, eds. (2023).
1296:"Challenge Cup: Wembley to host 2023 women's and men's finals on same day"
160:
Rugby league is an increasingly popular sport for women in Great Britain.
1222:"South Wales Women's Domestic Season launches – Wales Rugby League (WRL)"
973:"Clubs will need Women's Super League team to get A licence in IMG plan"
466:
Rugby league in twentieth century Britain: a social and cultural history
1167:"New second tier competitions fuel expansion of Women's Super League".
256:
768:
331:
due to the geographic variance in the sports popularity. In 2021 the
191:
existed but since then each nation has had its own national team.
1170:
Betfred Women's Super League Grand Final 2023: Official Programme
377:
for the first time as part of a finals day with the final of the
1016:"On this day in 2007: Great Britain thrash New Zealand in Hull"
882:"RFL reveal exciting national pyramid for growing women's game"
255:
The growing importance of the women's game was recognised when
1144:. Rugby Football League Limited. 30 April 2021. Archived from
1142:"Betfred Women's Super League to break new ground in 2021"
616:. No. 38087. 3 December 1981. p. 22 – via
564:. No. 3540. 29 September 1978. p. 1 – via
590:. No. 23252. 6 November 1978. p. 9 – via
339:
will have opportunity for promotion to the Super League.
259:
agreed to sponsor the Super League and subsequently the
263:
alongside the company's sponsorship of the men's game.
681:
679:
319:
British rugby league system § Women's structure
1118:Rugby Football League. 24 July 2017. Archived from
133:
103:
93:
61:
33:
25:
20:
631:
605:
579:
553:
653:
651:
1244:"Cardiff Demons deliver Grand Final masterclass"
296:played their first game in 2007 against France.
223:
1068:"Wales Women's side heritage numbers announced"
1271:"BBC to broadcast Women's Challenge Cup Final"
1004:. No. 66280. 14 August 1998. p. 41.
935:Young rugby player: science & application
359:. They won the league in both 2021 and 2022.
21:Women's rugby league in the British Isles
8:
1090:"Match Report: Wales Women v Ireland Women"
241:At the end of 2013 the RFL established the
1348:Women's rugby league in the United Kingdom
998:"Women out to rattle bones, not buckets".
957:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
749:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
710:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
640:. 9 December 1981. p. 16 – via
538:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
149:Women's Rugby League European Championship
85:Ireland women's national rugby league team
75:England women's national rugby league team
491:The oval world: a global history of rugby
441:Great Britain national rugby league team
425:Great Britain national rugby league team
224:Women's Amateur Rugby League Association
80:Wales women's national rugby league team
456:
416:
1092:. RLI. 18 October 2021. Archived from
950:
937:. Abingdon, Oxfordshire. p. 210.
767:. Women's Rugby league. Archived from
742:
703:
531:
233:disputes and sexism within the sport.
17:
787:Rugby League International Federation
7:
581:"Ticklish tackles of rugby girl Liz"
435:
433:
1116:"Women's Super League kicks off..."
493:. London: Bloomsbury. p. 340.
1195:Walker, Callum (31 January 2023).
662:. London: Routledge. p. 273.
468:. London: Routledge. p. 155.
300:played their first match in 2021.
180:introducing payments for players.
14:
907:Walker, Callum (4 January 2023).
400:Rugby league in the British Isles
395:Women's rugby league in Australia
243:Women's Rugby League Championship
163:Early instances of women playing
856:"Women & Girls Match Centre"
727:Rugby league: a people's history
688:Rugby league: a people's history
516:Rugby league: a people's history
1328:Women's rugby league in England
783:"England Rugby Football League"
810:. UK Parliament. February 2023
385:and the year 7 schools final.
357:RFL Women's Super League South
144:Women's Rugby League World Cup
1:
1269:Sadler, Martyn (9 May 2021).
658:Hargreaves, Jennifer (1994).
613:Huddersfield Daily Examiner
405:British rugby league system
286:Great Britain national team
204:Instances of women playing
189:Great Britain national team
1369:
1048:. Sport Focus. 1 July 2007
366:
316:
218:Coronation of Elizabeth II
135:International competitions
69:Great Britain women's team
642:British Newspaper Archive
618:British Newspaper Archive
592:British Newspaper Archive
566:British Newspaper Archive
140:
110:
29:Great Britain and Ireland
1338:Rugby league in Scotland
439:Jointly administers the
212:in 1921, and during the
187:Between 1996 and 2003 a
120:RFL Women's Championship
117:RFL Women's Super League
1353:History of rugby league
1343:Rugby league in Ireland
355:, however plays in the
1224:. Wales RL. 3 May 2023
1070:. WRL. 12 October 2021
765:"Women's Rugby League"
729:. Leeds. p. 220.
725:Collins, Tony (2020).
690:. Leeds. p. 219.
686:Collins, Tony (2020).
607:"A cup for the ladies"
518:. Leeds. p. 218.
514:Collins, Tony (2020).
489:Collins, Tony (2015).
464:Collins, Tony (2006).
1333:Rugby league in Wales
1250:. RFL. 28 August 2022
369:Women's Challenge Cup
308:Domestic competitions
170:Rugby Football League
127:Women's Challenge Cup
105:National competitions
45:Scotland Rugby League
40:Rugby Football League
1248:www.rugby-league.com
860:www.rugby-league.com
325:Women's Super League
323:The RFL has run the
55:Rugby League Ireland
638:The Weekly Examiner
381:, the final of the
214:1926 General Strike
1096:on 7 December 2021
1046:www.sportfocus.com
771:on 16 August 2014.
555:"Girl's Rugby ban"
349:Wales Rugby League
333:Super League South
50:Wales Rugby League
1122:on 5 October 2018
1022:. 3 November 2020
979:. 23 January 2023
888:. 31 January 2023
633:"What a mud pack"
210:lockout of miners
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1302:. 12 August 2022
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561:Evening Sentinel
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329:northern England
313:League structure
113:Domestic Leagues
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63:National team(s)
36:
18:
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1020:LoveRugbyLeague
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977:LoveRugbyLeague
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375:Wembley Stadium
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267:local leagues.
239:
226:
202:
197:
184:participating.
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99:1985 (formally)
94:
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53:
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5:
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964:
944:978-0367612320
943:
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847:
836:. 16 June 2022
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669:978-0415070287
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367:Main article:
364:
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353:Cardiff Demons
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317:Main article:
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71:(in abeyance)
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37:
35:Governing body
31:
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23:
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13:
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1148:on 9 May 2021
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736:9781999333973
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363:Challenge Cup
362:
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280:National team
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261:Challenge Cup
258:
253:
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229:eight teams.
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200:Early history
199:
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174:York Valkyrie
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1304:. Retrieved
1299:
1290:
1278:. Retrieved
1274:
1264:
1252:. Retrieved
1247:
1238:
1226:. Retrieved
1216:
1204:. Retrieved
1200:
1190:
1178:. Retrieved
1176:. p. 34
1169:
1162:
1150:. Retrieved
1146:the original
1136:
1124:. Retrieved
1120:the original
1110:
1098:. Retrieved
1094:the original
1084:
1072:. Retrieved
1062:
1050:. Retrieved
1045:
1036:
1024:. Retrieved
1019:
1010:
999:
993:
981:. Retrieved
976:
967:
934:
928:
916:. Retrieved
912:
902:
890:. Retrieved
885:
876:
864:. Retrieved
859:
850:
838:. Retrieved
833:
824:
812:. Retrieved
802:
790:. Retrieved
786:
777:
769:the original
759:
726:
720:
687:
659:
637:
626:
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587:Daily Mirror
585:
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250:Super League
247:
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206:rugby league
203:
186:
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178:Leeds Rhinos
165:rugby league
162:
159:
122:
112:
95:First played
15:
1275:TotalRL.com
1201:TotalRL.com
913:TotalRL.com
237:RFL control
1322:Categories
1300:Sky Sports
1180:7 November
451:References
47:(Scotland)
1001:The Times
953:cite book
834:SportsPro
745:cite book
706:cite book
534:cite book
379:men's Cup
347:In 2019,
57:(Ireland)
42:(England)
389:See also
383:1895 Cup
302:Ireland
294:England
257:Betfred
195:History
52:(Wales)
26:Country
941:
733:
694:
666:
522:
497:
472:
292:team.
1306:1 May
1280:1 May
1254:4 May
1228:4 May
1206:4 May
1174:(PDF)
1152:4 May
1126:4 May
1100:1 May
1074:1 May
1052:1 May
1026:1 May
983:1 May
918:1 May
892:1 May
866:1 May
862:. RFL
840:1 May
814:1 May
792:1 May
411:Notes
343:Wales
298:Wales
1308:2023
1282:2023
1256:2023
1230:2023
1208:2023
1182:2023
1154:2023
1128:2023
1102:2023
1076:2023
1054:2023
1028:2023
985:2023
959:link
939:ISBN
920:2023
894:2023
868:2023
842:2023
816:2023
794:2023
751:link
731:ISBN
712:link
692:ISBN
664:ISBN
540:link
520:ISBN
495:ISBN
470:ISBN
176:and
123:Cups
1324::
1298:.
1273:.
1246:.
1199:.
1044:.
1018:.
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