A beautiful, sunny Saturday saw us back at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens. But this time, we weren’t there to cheer on Liverpool Women. We were there to explore a brand new sport for Her Team Her Dream (our first since launching the website!)

This ground is, of course, home to St Helens R.F.C., so it felt only right that our first adventure beyond football would be to watch the sport the stadium was originally intended for: Rugby League.

Getting Ready

I’ll be honest, I knew very little about Rugby League before this. Determined not to be completely clueless, I read up on the basics of the rules and how the game is played. That definitely helped me follow along (well, most of the time!).

We arrived early and parked in a public car park nearby, then walked over to the stadium. Despite all my research on the game, I made one rookie mistake: I hadn’t checked St Helens’ social media. As a result, when we arrived, we were surprised to find an Academy game already well into the second half.

If I’d known it was on, I absolutely would have planned to arrive earlier and catch the whole thing. Lesson learned! Next time I’ll be checking social media as well as the rulebook.

A Brilliant Start with the Academy Game

Even though we only saw the end of the Academy match, it was fantastic. The players were full of passion and determination, and the atmosphere in the stands was so welcoming. There was a strong sense of community.

Willem made everyone around us laugh when he very seriously announced, “We have to clap for the red team.” That little moment became a running joke for the rest of the day!

After the final whistle, the Academy players came over to the side-lines to meet friends, family, and fans. What really struck me was how grounded and approachable they all were. A short while later, many of them came to sit amongst the crowd to watch the main event. There was no separation, just a shared love of the game.

Match Recap: St Helens vs Leeds Rhinos (Women’s Super League)

First Half

12th min
After two failed attempts to ground the ball, Leeds finally broke through the St Helens defence. Keara Bennett made the most of the opportunity and scored the first try of the match.
St Helens 0 – 4 Leeds Rhinos

31st min
Leeds continued their strong attack, being brought down just shy of the try line. But Izzy Northrop powered through with ease to score the second try. A successful conversion followed.
St Helens 0 – 10 Leeds Rhinos

37th min
On St Helens’ final tackle of the set, Vicky Whitfield charged through the Leeds line to score their first try of the match.
St Helens 4 – 10 Leeds Rhinos

The half-time whistle caught me off guard — I couldn’t believe how quickly time had passed. I was genuinely loving Rugby League, and to my surprise, I was following most of it pretty well!

Second Half

40th min
What a start from Leeds! Just 13 seconds into the half, Mel Howard crossed the line for another try.
St Helens 4 – 14 Leeds Rhinos

54th min
Shona Hoyle burst through the Leeds defence and outran the players chasing her to score a stunning solo try. The conversion was successful.
St Helens 10 – 14 Leeds Rhinos

57th min
Leeds quickly answered back. Ebony Stead found a great line through St Helens’ defence and, despite pressure, managed to ground the ball. Conversion successful.
St Helens 10 – 20 Leeds Rhinos

61st min
St Helens worked the ball across the line beautifully, switching direction to open a gap for Luci McColm to sneak through and score.
St Helens 14 – 20 Leeds Rhinos

71st min
A loose ball was scooped up behind the St Helens line by Ruby Bruce, who sprinted toward what looked like a guaranteed try. But Dani McGrifford came flying across the field at full speed and made an incredible tackle to stop her. The following Leeds play was pulled back for a forward pass — a massive moment in the match.

75th min
Vicky Whitfield powered through the Leeds line, dragging defenders with her to score her second try of the game. Luci McColm nailed the conversion to level the score.
St Helens 20 – 20 Leeds Rhinos

Final Whistle Thoughts

And that’s where the score stayed. A dramatic and hard-fought 20–20 draw!

What an incredible introduction to Rugby League! Watching St Helens come from behind to draw added a huge amount of excitement and emotion to the day. I had such a lovely time with the kids, they really enjoyed learning about a new sport, and so did I.

I was genuinely surprised by how easy Rugby League was to follow as a first time spectator. There are definitely still things I have looked up since, and I am sure I will learn even more as I go to more matches, but I never felt lost or out of place. One thing is certain — Rugby League is now firmly on my list of sports to follow, and I would absolutely recommend giving it a go yourself. It is a fun and affordable day out with a brilliant atmosphere!

🎟️ Buying Tickets

Getting your tickets is super straightforward, it's all done online via the St Helens Women website. For the match we attended, there was also the option to pay on the day, which seemed to be a popular choice with regulars.

If you want peace of mind (or are like me and love being early), booking in advance is definitely the way to go.

📱Electronic Tickets

Once you’ve bought your tickets, be sure to download them to your phone before you get to the stadium — mobile data can be unreliable, and no one wants to be the person holding up the queue while their phone buffers.

🅿️ Parking

I wasn’t sure if parking was available at the stadium, as some of the information I found online suggested it wasn’t permitted on matchdays. To be on the safe side, I opted for Parr Street Car Park, which was just £1 for the whole day, a great option within easy walking distance of the stadium.

There are several other public car parks nearby too, so don’t worry if Parr Street is full. Just give yourself a little extra time to find a space and enjoy the short walk. You can find up-to-date information on local parking options on the St Helens R.F.C. website.

📣 Final Tips from a First-Timer

One thing I wish I’d done? Check St Helens’ social media before we arrived. Their Facebook page is a goldmine for:

- Team sheets

- Live-stream info (if you can’t make it in person)

- Updates on other matches or events happening the same day (like Academy games)

If I’d seen their updates, we would’ve caught the full Academy game too! Next time, I’ll be better prepared!