Players invited to take part in an East Wales v West Wales Women’s match

Wales Rugby League will hold it’s first ever Women’s representative match on Saturday 17th August when West Wales will face East Wales at Stebonheath Park (kick-off 11.45am).

The match will take place as part of a double header where West Wales Raiders and North Wales Crusaders will meet in the Big Welsh Derby in Betfred League 1 (kick-off 3pm).

Successful players from this match will then be considered for the first ever Wales Women’s rugby league international side who will play two matches this autumn.

To register your interest to play for either side, then please email peter.tiffin@walesrugbyleague.co.uk including your name, playing position, address, club (if applicable) and contact phone number.

The West Wales side will be coaching by Mike Connor, Andrew Thorne and one other whilst the East Wales side will be run jointly by the Cardiff Blue Dragons and Rhondda Outlaws sides who have faced each other twice over the last two weeks fielding over 40 players new to rugby league in the process.

Cardiff easily won the historic first encounter 52-10 at Glamorgan Wanderers two weekend’s ago, but they had a much closer match last Sunday in Pontypridd where Cardiff edged it 30-28.

Cardiff were only in the lead for three minutes in the first half and the last ten minutes of the game as the home side will consider themselves unfortunate not to win.

Sara Prosser gave Rhondda an early lead before Stacey Horne levelled. A Joeann McGuire try made in 8-4 to Rhondda before Cardiff led for a few minutes after Raf Taylor grounded and Lauren Aiken converted.

It was 18-10 to Rhondda at half-time following tries from Jade Davies and Jess Pritchard, the first converted by Shaunni Davies. Cardiff hit back after the break through a Kirsten Field try that Kayley Smith converted, but Rhondda scored two more tries with Zoe Lewis and Kourtney Lewis grounding and Carys Thomas adding a conversion.

They were 28-16 down on the hour but Cardiff pulled off a remarkable comeback, scoring three tries in ten minutes. Tries from Sian Moore and Anna O’Neil brought the score back to 28-24 before Taylor sprinted 50 metres to score under the sticks to level making it easy for Kayleigh Tonge-Jones to convert. Rhondda fought hard for a late winner but Cardiff held on.