The top two sides in the WSL met at the Mend-a-Hose Jungle as Castleford Tigers took on the Leeds Rhinos for the honour of ending round three at the top of the pile. Something had to give as both sides brought a one hundred percent record into the game.

Leeds won all four encounters in 2018 so the Tigers ladies had a point to prove as the two sides met for the first time in 2019 Womens Super League.

These two shining lights in the ladies game were ready to put on a show for a decent crowd on a perfect looking pitch.

It was a frenetic opening to the game with the early pressure all coming from the home side as they tested the Rhinos out wide, but they bombed a chance on five minutes when Olivia Grace knocked on a difficult pass with the line begging.

Kelsey Gentles finally registered the opening try on fifteen after a Rhiannion Marshall bust down the gentre stretched the Rhinos defence. Tara Stanley was unable to add a difficult touchline conversion.

The Tigers continued to dominate possesion and position and after a barnstorming run from Marshall, pushing away three Leeds tacklers, she went over from twelve metres to score the Tigers second. Stanley added to her sixty point tally in 2019 to take the home side to a 10-0 lead.

Stanley kicked a drop goal on the half hour mark to extend the lead to eleven points and despite thr Rhinos finally finding some ground to exert pressure on the Tigers defence, the home side went into the sheds with a healthy lead.

The Rhinos should have scored on forty-six after a brilliant break down the right wing, but a forward pass, with the line open, saw play pulled back.

A barnstorming run on fifty-six minutes from Marshall, swatting away the Leeds tacklers from twenty metres allowed an offload to Sinead Peach on the line for the third try of the afternoon. Stanley added the conversion for 17-0.

It was all Tigers and on the hour mark sensational footwork from Georgia Roche saw her jink between the Leeds defenders before lunging for the line for a well deserved try. Stanley added the conversion for 23-0, the game was won.

Kelsey Gentles put the icing on the Castleford cake with a superb try for her second of the afternoon. Stanley hit he post with the conversion attempt but at 27-0 with just under ten minutes remaining the Rhinos were a distant second.

A brilliant run from Caitlin Beevers on seventy-seven saw her close to the Tigers line and Tamzin Renouf was sin-binned for extra effort in the tackle to prevent a quick play the ball

This was a professional and comprehensive win for the Castleford Tigers who were magnificent in defence to keep a free-flowing Rhinos side at bay. Some brilliant runs by Marshall and a excellent footwork from Gentles set the platform for the win, the Tigers now comfortable at the top of the table.

Tigers Squad: Stanley (3G, DG), Wallace, Hethertington, Gentles (2T), Pointon, Roche (T), Lumley, Peach, Field, Renouf (SB on 77), Owen, Marshall (2T), Grace,  Lumb, Tordoff, Reynolds, Eastwood, Slowe.

Rhinos: Beevers, Hill S., Booth, Kerrigan, Frain, Butcher, Hill C., Anderson, Gaines, Johnson, Staveley, Nuttall, Oldroyd.  Subs: Spurr, Lacey, Deaves, Goldthorp.

Referee: .

Half-Time: 11-0.

Full-Time: 27-0.             

Attendance: .