London Broncos Ladies
Club information | |
---|---|
Colours | Black, White and Red |
Founded | 2021 |
Website | Official website |
Current details | |
Competition | RFL Women's Championship (Southern) |
2024 | 2nd (Champions) |
Current season | |
Records | |
Super League South | 1 (2023) |
Southern Championship | 1 (2024) |
London Broncos Ladies are the women's rugby league team of London Broncos. They play their home matches at Rosslyn Park F.C. in south-west London, England. The team was established in 2021 and initially competed in the Super League South and then its successor competition, the Women's Southern Championship, in 2024. In December 2024, it was announced that the club would join the Northern Championship.
History
[edit]In 2021, London Broncos formed a women's team to take part the inaugural season of the RFL Women's Super League South.[1] The played in the opening fixture of the competition, winning 20–12 against the Army with Courtney Treco scoring the first try for the Broncos.[2][3][4] London went on to reach the play-offs, but lost 38–20 to Cardiff Demons in the semi-finals.[5][6]
In 2022, the Broncos went unbeaten throughout the regular season to finish top of the table.[7] Results included a team record win of 104–0 over Oxford Cavaliers.[8] London qualified for their first final with a 44–6 semi-final win against Bedford Tigers, but then lost 34–4 to Cardiff in the Grand Final.[7][9] Following the 2022 season, Lauren Mueller was selected to represent Canada at the 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup.[10][11]
In February 2023, four of the Broncos first team players were selected for the England Community Lions[12] and the Broncos took part in the Women's Challenge Cup for the first time where they faced the cup holders, St Helens, in their opening group match losing 76–0. Although they did not advance from the group stage, they recorded their first victory in the cup with a 40–4 win over Castleford Tigers.[13] In the league, London finished second in the table having lost only once in the regular season; 8–10 to Cardiff. They won their semi-final 22–12 against Army RL to set up a rematch of the 2022 Grand Final.[14][15] On 27 August, London Broncos defeated Cardiff 22–10 to take the 2023 Women's Super League South title.[16]
In the 2024 season, London qualified for Challenge Cup through having been a finalist in their 2023 league campaign.[17] In a repeat of the 2023 competition, they were drawn against St Helens in their opening match and exited the competition at the group stage.[18] Following the restructuring of the women's league pyramid the Super League South became the Southern Women's Championship.[19] As a tier two competition this offered an opportunity for promotion to the Super League via a National Championship final and a promotion/relegation play-off. On 7 September, London defeated Cardiff 28–8 in the Grand Final of the Southern Championship to qualify for the National Championship final.[20] The final was played on 29 September at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.[21] Their opponents, Leigh Leopards, scored a late try to win the match 22–18.[22]
In December 2024, the Rugby Football League announced a restructuring of the league system which would see the club transferred to an expanded Northern Championship in the 2025 season.[23]
Seasons
[edit]Season | League | Play-offs | Challenge Cup | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | |||
2021 | Super League South: Eastern Conference | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 104 | 90 | 6 | 2nd | Lost in Semi Final | — |
2022 | Super League South | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 240 | 76 | 10 | 1st | Lost in Grand Final | — |
2023 | Super League South | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 134 | 42 | 8 | 2nd | Won in Grand Final | GS |
2024 | Southern Championship | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 218 | 50 | 10 | 2nd | Won in Grand Final Lost in National Final |
GS |
Source:[24]
Honours
[edit]- Super League South
- League Leaders' Shield: 2022
- Champions: 2023
- Southern Championship
- Champions: 2024
Internationals
[edit]Players who earned international caps while playing for London Broncos:
References
[edit]- ^ "Betfred Women's Super League South to break new ground in 2021". RFL. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Fixture announcement: Betfred Women's Super League South". RFL. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "London Broncos Women make history". RFL. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Army Lose Rugby Super League South Opener Against London Broncos". Forces News. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Betfred Women's Super League South reaches semi-final stage". RFL. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Demons are doing it for Davies in Betfred Women's Super League South Grand Final". RFL. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Betfred Women's Super League South: Grand Final Preview". RFL. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Broncos Ladies register record-breaking win over Oxford in Super League South". London Broncos. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022.
- ^ "Cardiff Demons deliver Grand Final masterclass". RFL. 28 August 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Rugby League World Cup 2021: Official women's squads". NRL.com. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Mueller thrilled to be part of Canada's Rugby League World Cup squad". London Broncos. Archived from the original on 31 October 2022.
- ^ "London Broncos Ladies on the hunt for silverware". sportsgazette. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Exclusive: History-making Broncos captain 'excited' by growth of rugby league in London". Love Rugby League. 7 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Super Sunday in the capital as Women's Super League South reaches semi-finals stage". RFL. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Our League to stream Women's Super League South Grand Final this Sunday". RFL. 23 August 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "London Broncos 22 v 10 Cardiff Demons". Wales Rugby League. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Building a National Pyramid". Community Rugby League: MORE THAN A SPORT REVIEW MID-YEAR 2023 (PDF). Rugby Football League. p. 16. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Betfred Women's Challenge Cup Review | Round 1". RFL. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "New era for Tier Two of Women's Rugby League". RFL. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "London Broncos and St Helens seal title triumphs". RFL. 9 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "First-ever National Championship Final to be played at Alexander Stadium". RFL. 25 September 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "Leigh Leopards continue their undefeated run and claim National Championship glory". RFL. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "Northern Women's Championship expands for 2025". RFL. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ^ "Match Centre". RFL. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Squads named for inaugural Americas North Women's Championship". European Rugby League. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Canada Ravens begin their Women's World Cup preparations". European Rugby League. 25 October 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Netherlands and Wales vie for World Cup berth". European Rugby League. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Wales 60 0 Italy". European Rugby League. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Emily Hughes - Second row". Wales Rugby League. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "Kathryn Salter - Full-back". Wales Rugby League. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2024.