Current season, competition or edition: 2023 RFL Women's Super League South | |
| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country |  England Wales |
| Domestic cup(s) | RFL Women's Challenge Cup |
| Official website | Women's Super League |
The Rugby Football League Women's Super League South (known as the Betfred Women's Super League South due to sponsorship) was one of two top-level club competitions in women's rugby league in southern England and South Wales. It was originally intended to start in 2020, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The inaugural season started in mid-June 2021[1] and ended on 29 August.[2] In 2023, it was announced that the Super League South would become one of the four regional tier-two competitions in the 2024 restructuring of the national pyramid for women's rugby.
History
On 30 April 2021, the Rugby Football League (RFL) announced the establishment of a new "Super League South" competition, which runs in parallel to the existing Women's Super League competition in the north of England, rather than directly expand it and is the top level of club competition in southern England and South Wales. The inaugural Super League south season started in June 2021, competed for by six teams, divided into two conferences of three teams each.[1]
On 31 January 2023, the RFL announced a new pyramid for the women's game, and in doing so confirmed that the 2023 season would be the Super League South's last as a top tier competition. The competition would be replaced by the Regional League South and become a second tier competition with opportunity for promotion to the RFL Women's Super League. Regional League South would run parallel with a North, Roses, and Midlands league.[3]
Clubs
| Super League South clubs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Club[lower-roman 1] | Location | Seasons | Ref |
| Army RL | Aldershot, Hampshire | 2021–2023 | [4] |
| Bedford Tigers | Bedford, Bedfordshire | 2021–2023 | [5] |
| Bristol Golden Ferns | Bristol, Gloucestershire | 2021–2023 | [1] |
| Cardiff Demons | Cardiff, Glamorgan | 2021–2023 | [6][7] |
| Cornish Rebels | Redruth, Cornwall | 2021 | [8] |
| London Broncos | Wimbledon, Greater London | 2021–2023 | [9] |
| Oxford Cavaliers | Brackley, Northamptonshire | 2022 | [10] |
| Thurrock T-Birds | Grays, Essex | 2023 | [3] |
- Source: Match Centre
- ↑ Bold denotes club in 2023 Super League South
Structure
For the inaugural season in 2021, the three teams in each conference played each other twice home and away, for a total of six games each. At the conclusion of these matches, the semi-finals saw the winner of each conference playing the runner-up of the other. The winners of those two games thus played in the Grand Final, with the Cardiff Demons winning 30–26 over the British Army Rugby League side.[1][11] From 2022, the format changed so that all teams competed in one league with the top four teams qualifying for the play-offs.[12]
The Army were granted a place in the 2022 Women's Challenge Cup as a result of having reached the Grand Final in 2021.[13] In 2023, both Super League South finalists from 2022 took part in the Challenge Cup.[14] London and Cardiff both earned places in the 2024 Challenge Cup as a result of reaching the 2023 Grand Final.[15]
Champions
| Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up | League Leaders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Cardiff Demons | 30–26 | Army RL | — |
| 2022 | Cardiff Demons | 34–4 | London Broncos | London Broncos |
| 2023 | London Broncos | 22–10 | Cardiff Demons | Cardiff Demons |
Sponsorship
Bookmakers Betfred were announced in 2021 as being the inaugural sponsors of this new competition, as well as continuing their sponsorship of Women's Super League beyond 2021.[1]
See also
- NRL Women's Premiership
- NZRL Women's National Tournament
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Betfred Women's Super League to break new ground in 2021". Rugby Football League Limited. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ↑ "Rugby League: Heartbreak For Army Women In First Ever Southern Area Grand Final". Forces.net. 29 August 2021. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- 1 2 "RFL reveal exciting national pyramid for growing women's game". Love Rugby League. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
- ↑ "The Army enters Superleague!". Army Rugby League. 1 May 2021. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ↑ "Tigers to feature in expanded Women's Super League!". Bedford Tigers. 1 May 2021. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ↑ Gordon, James (28 May 2021). "Cardiff Demons aim for Women's Super League franchise". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ↑ "New Women's Super League club to launch in Cardiff". Wales Rugby League. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ↑ "Rebels Enter Betfred Womens Super League South". Cornish Rebels. 29 April 2021. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ↑ "Broncos Join Five Teams In Launch Of Inaugural Betfred Women's Super League South". London Broncos. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ↑ "Match Centre". Rugby-League.com. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ↑ "Fixture announcement: Betfred Women's Super League South". Rugby-League.com. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "Betfred Women's Super League South Fixtures announced". Rugby-League.com. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "Saints to face The Army in Betfred Women's Challenge Cup". Rugby-League.com. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "Betfred Women's Challenge Cup ready for kick off". Rugby-League.com. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ↑ "Building a National Pyramid". Community Rugby League: MORE THAN A SPORT REVIEW MID-YEAR 2023 (PDF). Rugby Football League. p. 16. Retrieved 27 November 2023.