Women's Super League: Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors win in season openers

Leeds Rhinos began the 2024 Women's Super League season in style as Evie Cousins, Zoe Hornby and Lucy Murray all scored a hat-trick of tries in a 66-4 demolition of Huddersfield Giants.

Rhinos led 36-4 at the break, with Amelia Brown scoring what turned out to be the Giants' solitary try.

Caitlin Beevers added two tries of her own, while Ruby Enright and Sophie Robinson also contributed to the rout.

Elsewhere on Friday, Wigan beat Barrow 18-4 in their own opening game.

In an even first half at the DW Stadium, neither side could get off the mark, but three minutes into the second half Anna Davies put Wigan ahead.

Davies registered another try after Isabel Rowe added herself to the scoresheet, while Kaitlin Hilton rounded out the win for Denis Betts' side.

Michelle Larkin ran in an unconverted score late on as a consolation for the Raiders.

Sensational Leeds get 2024 under way in fine fashion

Leeds took just two minutes to get off the mark when Hornby worked her way through the Giants' defence, with Ruby Enright going on to score one of her seven goals.

Beevers, Cousins and Murray all scored twice before half-time as the hosts established their dominance with a 32-point advantage at Headingley.

They picked up where they left off when full-back Enright raced in just four minutes into the second half.

Murray completed her hat-trick first as she forced her way over with 47 minutes gone, and Robinson crossed eight minutes later.

Not to be outdone, Cousins crossed on the right to bring up her own hat-trick, while Hornby touched down twice in three minutes to register another hat-trick for the hosts.

It was another performance to remember for Cousins, who returned from a year's absence with injury to score twice in Leeds' Women's Challenge Cup quarter-final win over Warrington Wolves on Sunday.