Women's Super League: Warrington and York claim narrow opening round wins

Last season's Women's Super League Grand Final winners York Valkyrie got the 2024 campaign off to a perfect start with a dramatic 20-16 victory over St Helens.

The hosts were up 12-0 at the break but Saints battled back and led with just two minutes to play.

However, Carrie Roberts crossed for her second score of the game to give them the two points.

Elsewhere, Warrington beat promoted Featherstone 34-28.

The Wire led 14-12 at the break before looking to have put the game beyond the West Yorkshire side with three unanswered tries to stretch their lead to 30-12.

Rovers fought back though and closed to within two points thanks to scores from Alyssa Courtney, Olivia Grace and Fran Copley but Nicole Barnett made the points safe for the hosts with a late try.

Champions York leave it late

York went into the start of the league season off the back of a thumping 74-0 rout of Featherstone in the Challenge Cup quarter-final last week.

They looked to be picking up where they had left off as scores from Roberts, Emma Kershaw and Tamzin Renouf put them in a commanding position at the break.

Saints were narrowly beaten by Leeds in last season's play-off semi-final and showed their steel to come roaring back to lead with six minutes left through tries from Katie Mottershead, Leah Burke and Rachael Woosey.

York did not lose a single league game on their way to a League Leaders' Shield and Grand Final double in 2023 and Roberts dived over in the corner in the 78th minute to break Saints hearts.