England women's national rugby league team

Early years

Women's Rugby League was originally established in 1985 through the Women's Amateur Rugby League Association, with the Great Britain National Team playing for the first time in the year 1996.

From 2007 onwards, England has competed on the international stage, playing in the 2008, 2013, 2017 and 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cups.

2008 World Cup

The 2008 Women's Rugby League World Cup was the third staging of the tournament and the first time England had competed as a nation. The tournament was held in Australia from 26 October and England were in a pool with Russia, France and Australia.

England beat France and Russia in the group stages, losing to Australia, to finish second in the group and qualify for the semi-finals. England were beaten by eventual winners New Zealand at the semi-final stage, as they beat Australia 34–0. England beat the Pacific Islands in the third-placed play-off match.

2013 World Cup

The 2013 Women's Rugby League World Cup was held in Great Britain from 26 October and featured Australia, England, France and New Zealand. England's 24-player squad featured players from Bradford, Coventry, Crosfields, Featherstone, Normanton and Thatto Heath.

In the Round Robin format, England suffered a 14–6 defeat to Australia at the Tetley's Stadium, Dewsbury, on Friday, 5 July, before going down 34–16 to New Zealand on Monday, 8 July at Featherstone Rovers’ Post Office Road.

A 42–4 win over France followed in the final round on 11 July at the Fox's Biscuits Stadium, Batley, before a record 54–0 win over France in the third-place play-off at the South Leeds Stadium, Hunslet.

2017 World Cup

The 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup was the fifth staging of the competition, held in Australia between 16 November and 2 December. England took part alongside Australia, Canada, Cook Islands, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea and all group matches were played at the Southern Cross Group Stadium, home of Cronulla Sharks.

England were placed in Group A alongside Australia and the Cook Islands and took on Papua New Guinea in an inter-group match. Their first 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup match resulted in a 38–0 defeat to Australia on 19 November, before a shock 22–16 defeat to the Cook Islands on 22 November. England were 16–0 down at half time, but Emma Slowe, Amy Hardcastle and Kayleigh Bulman scored for England in the second half, Claire Garner kicking two goals, to make it 16-all, before a late Cook Islands try. England secured their progress to the semi-finals on points difference from the Cooks thanks to a 36–8 win over Papua New Guinea on 16 November. Tries from Charlotte Booth (2), Shona Hoyle, Amy Hardcastle, Tara-Jane Stanley, who kicked four goals, Danielle Bound and Beth Sutcliffe were enough to secure the win.

The semi-final saw England beaten 52–4 by New Zealand on 26 November at Southern Cross Group Stadium, despite a first-half Tara-Jane Stanley try.

Australia would go on to win the final 23–16 on 2 December at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

2021 World Cup

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2024)

2026 World Cup

Games preparing for the 2026 World Cup saw a new selection process implemented. Regional training occurred in Lancashire and Yorkshire with head coach, Stuart Barlow, selecting Lancashire and Yorkshire squads before playing an Origin fixture. Performances in these training sessions and match would determine national squad selection.^[1]

Head coach

Team

• Biggest win: England 82–0 Wales , 2 November 2024 – Women's Rugby League international, Headingley, Leeds.
• Biggest defeat:  New Zealand 52–4 England , 26 November 2017 – Women's Rugby League World Cup semi-final, Southern Cross Group Stadium, Sydney

Individual

• Most tries: Amy Hardcastle - 30, Tara-Jane Stanley - 17, Emily Rudge - 17, Joanne Watmore - 13^[β], Natalie Gilmour MBE - 13^[α], Jodie Cunningham - 10, Leah Burke - 10.
• Most tries in a match: Anna Davies - 5 vs Wales , at Headingley, 2 November 2024.
• Most points: Tara-Jane Stanley 218, Natalie Gilmour - (at least) 114^[α], Amy Hardcastle 120.

World Cup

More information World Cup Record, Year ...

World Cup Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	Win	Draw	Loss
2000	Competed as Great Britain and Ireland
2003	Competed as Great Britain
2008	Third Place	3rd out of 8	5	3	0	2
2013	Third Place	3rd out of 4	4	2	0	2
2017	Semi Final	3rd out of 6	4	1	0	3
2021	Semi Final	3rd out of 8	4	3	0	1

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World Cup appearances

Source: England Women (World Cup) at Rugby League Record Keepers Club

Head-to-head records

More information Opponent, FM ...

Opponent	FM	MR	M	W	D	L	Win%	PF	PA	Share
Australia	2008	2017	3	0	0	3	0.00%	10	74	11.90%
Brazil	2022	2022	1	1	0	0	100.00%	72	4	94.74%
Canada	2022	2022	1	1	0	0	100.00%	54	4	93.10%
Cook Islands	2017	2017	1	0	0	1	0.00%	16	22	42.11%
France	2007	2024	21	20	1	0	97.62%	806	108	88.18%
New Zealand	2008	2022	6	0	0	6	0.00%	42	204	17.07%
Pacific Islands	2008	2008	1	1	0	0	100.00%	24	0	100.00%
Papua New Guinea	2017	2022	4	3	0	1	75.00%	118	42	73.75%
Russia	2008	2008	1	1	0	0	100.00%	72	0	100.00%
Wales	2021	2024	4	4	0	0	100.00%	234	6	97.50%
Total	2007	2024	43	31	1	11	73.26%	1448	464	75.73%

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Notes:

• Table last updated 4 November 2024 (after the Test Match against Wales)
• Share is the portion of "For" points compared to the sum of "For" and "Against" points.

Results

Full internationals

More information Date, Opponent ...

Date	Opponent	Score	Tournament	Venue	Video	Report(s)
7 Jul 2007	France	16–2	Test Match	Stade Municipal de Lescure d'Albigeois, Albi[2]	—	[11]
13 Jul 2008	France	42–4	Test Match	Widnes RUFC	—	[12]
6 Nov 2008	Russia	72–0	2008 WRLWC	Stockland Park, Sunshine Coast	—	[13][14]
8 Nov 2008	France	54–4			—	[15]
10 Nov 2008	Australia	4–22			—	[16]
12 Nov 2008	New Zealand	4–16			[17]	[18]
14 Nov 2008	Pacific Islands	24–0			—	[19]
18 Jul 2009	France	28–8	2 Test Series	Stade Ernest Argeles, Toulouse[20]	—	[21]
25 Jul 2009	France	36–0		Stade Ernest Argeles, Toulouse	—	[22]
10 Jul 2010	France	40–8	Test Match	National Sports Centre, Lilleshall	—	[23]
10 Nov 2010	New Zealand	6–44	Test Match	Toll Stadium, Whangārei	—	[24]
16 Nov 2010	New Zealand	6–38	Test Match	Waitakere Stadium, Auckland	—	[25]
2 Jul 2011	France	40–6	2 Test Series	Parc Des Sports, Avignon	—	[26]
6 Jul 2011	France	56–6		Parc Des Sports, Avignon	—	[27]
15 Jun 2012	France	48–0	Test Match	Grattan Stadium, Bradford	—	[5]
5 Jul 2013	Australia	6–14	2013 WRLWC	The Tetley's Stadium, Dewsbury	[28]	[29]
8 Jul 2013	New Zealand	16–34		Post Office Road, Featherstone	[30]	[31]
11 Jul 2013	France	42–4		Fox's Biscuits Stadium, Batley	[32]	[33]
13 Jul 2013	France	54–0		South Leeds Stadium, Hunslet	[34]	[35]
17 Jun 2015	France	24–4	2 Test Series	Stade Jean Benege, Tonneins	—	[36][37]
20 Jun 2015	France	14–14		Stade Roger Garnung, Biganos	—	[38][39]
22 Oct 2016	France	36–6	Test Match	Parc des Sports, Avignon	—	[40]
21 Jun 2017	France	26–16	2 Test Series	Stade de la Mer, Perpignan	—	[41]
24 Jun 2017	France	14–8		Stade de la Mer, Perpignan	—	[42]
16 Nov 2017	Papua New Guinea	36–8	2017 WRLWC	Southern Cross Group Stadium, Sydney	[43]	[44]
19 Nov 2017	Australia	0–38			[45]	[46]
22 Nov 2017	Cook Islands	16–22			[47]	[48][49]
26 Nov 2017	New Zealand	4–52			[50]	[51]
27 Oct 2018	France	54–4	Test Match	Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne	—	[52]
9 Nov 2019	Papua New Guinea	24–10	2 Test Series	Goroka	[53]	[54][55]
16 Nov 2019	Papua New Guinea	16–20		Port Moresby	[56]	[57][58]
25 Jun 2021	Wales	60–0	Test Match	Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington	[59]	[60][61][62]
23 Oct 2021	France	40–4	Test Match	Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan	[63]	[64][65]
12 Jun 2022	Wales	32–6	Test Match	Pandy Park, Crosskeys	[66]	[67][68][69][70]
18 Jun 2022	France	36–10	Test Match	Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington	[71]	[72][73][74]
1 Nov 2022	Brazil	72–4	2021 WRLWC	Headingley Stadium, Leeds	[75]	[76][77][78]
5 Nov 2022	Canada	54–4		DW Stadium, Wigan	[79]	[80][81]
9 Nov 2022	Papua New Guinea	42–4		Headingley Stadium, Leeds	[82]	[83][84]
14 Nov 2022	New Zealand	6–20		York Community Stadium, York	—	[85][86]
29 Apr 2023	France	64–0	Test Match	Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington	[87]	[88][89]
4 Nov 2023	Wales	60–0	Test Match	Headingley Stadium, Leeds	[90]	[91]
29 Jun 2024	France	42–0	Test Match	Stade Ernest-Wallon, Toulouse	[92]	[93][94]
2 Nov 2024	Wales	82–0	Test Match	Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds	—	[95]

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Nines

More information Date, Opponent ...

Date	Opponent	Score	Tournament	Venue	Video	Report(s)
18 Oct 2019	Papua New Guinea	25–4	2019 International Nines	Bankwest Stadium, Parramatta	[98]	[99]
19 Oct 2019	Australia	4–42			[100]
19 Oct 2019	New Zealand	4–33			[101]	[102]

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