The 2026 Women’s Super League season kicked off with a bang, as defending champions Wigan Warriors, York Valkyrie, and Leigh Leopards all secured impressive opening-day victories.
Wigan Warriors, the reigning treble winners from 2025, started their title defense with a hard-fought 18-10 home win against Leeds Rhinos. First-half tries from Cerys Jones and Anna Davies gave the Warriors an 8-0 lead at the break. After halftime, last season’s Woman of Steel, Eva Hunter, and Ellise Derbyshire extended the advantage to 18 points, before Ebony Stead and Mel Howard crossed for the visitors to narrow the gap. The victory sets a confident tone for Wigan, who have already booked their place in this season’s Challenge Cup final after a dominant 52-0 win over York in the semi-finals last weekend.
Speaking of York, they bounced back from that heavy cup defeat in emphatic style, crushing Huddersfield Giants 42-0 in their Super League opener. The Valkyrie’s eight tries came from eight different scorers, including new signings Monique Donovan and Petra Woods, showcasing their depth and resilience. The team is now under the guidance of former Great Britain international Leon Pryce, who took over after Lindsay Anfield—the architect of York’s Grand Final wins in 2023 and 2024—departed.
In Saturday’s other match, promoted Featherstone Rovers faced a tough challenge, falling 34-8 to Leigh Leopards. The round of fixtures will wrap up on Sunday, with Barrow hosting Challenge Cup finalists St Helens (14:30 BST).
With the season just underway, the intensity and excitement are already building—perfect for fans gearing up to support their teams in style.