Women's Super League: Challenge Cup finalists Leeds Rhinos stunned by Huddersfield Giants

Amelia Brown ran in a hat-trick to help Huddersfield overcome the Rhinos

Huddersfield Giants shocked Challenge Cup finalists Leeds Rhinos, handing them a third Women's Super League defeat of the season on Sunday.

Lois Forsell's Rhinos play St Helens in the final on Saturday, and made changes accordingly - with three academy debutants in the matchday 17.

However credit must go to the Giants, who saw Amelia Brown score a hat-trick in their first league win of the year.

Rhinos' final opponents St Helens overcame Wigan in Sunday's derby.

Faye Gaskin and Phoebe Hook did the damage with two first-half tries and, although Anna Davies replied for Wigan, they could not narrow the gap.

York Valkyrie all but secured the League Leaders' Shield for a second season in a row with a dominant win over Warrington.

Rhinos put their focus on Wembley

With history ready to be made on Saturday in the first final to take place at Wembley, there was a calculation behind Forsell's decision to name a less experienced line-up.

Bella Sykes was included for a debut against her old club, Sam Hulme returned in the halves, while Methley Warriors' Tilly-Jae Brown, Oulton Raidettes' Alice Costello and Illingworth's Angel Bentley stepped up from the academy.

The Rhinos made a slow start as Brown scored twice to build an 8-0 lead for the Giants, which was eventually wiped out when Sykes and then Tasha Gaines scored.

Tries were traded for the rest of the second half, as tries for Emma Wilkinson and Brown - for her hat-trick - were counter-balanced by Bentley and Jasmine Earnshaw-Cudjoe scores, but goal-kicks proved the difference as the Giants took the spoils.

Saints strong for derby encounter

Faye Gaskin's experience was vital to St Helens to overcome rivals Wigan

Having seen just how competitive Wigan could be in their Challenge Cup semi-final with Leeds, St Helens paid plenty of respect for their derby with the Cherry and Whites with a strong squad, and it was a justified call from Matty Smith as the Saints were pushed hard, scoring the first-half tries they needed and doing enough to keep the Warriors at bay in the second.

Without captain Jodie Cunningham and England team-mate Emily Rudge, the onus was on half-back leader Gaskin and other senior players such as Shona Hoyle, Zoe Harris and Tara Jones to steady the ship.

Wigan showed they are becoming a competitive outfit with their display, notably to keep Saints out in the second period, with Vicky Molyneux making big tackles and Laureane Biville showing an attacking threat.

York march on

Lindsay Anfield's side were edged by a Gaskin drop-goal in their cup semi-final with St Helens but their pursuit of silverware remains a genuine one, with just a win standing between them and retention of the regular season 'minor premiership'.

They moved to that position with a thumping 58-10 win at Warrington, despite going down early on when Shannon Stephens put the home side ahead.

Valkyrie scored 10 tries without reply following that effort, with Sinead Peach and Liv Wood crashing over twice, and although Charlize Magraw added a second consolation for the Wire, Elisa Akpa completed the scoring with another York score four minutes from time.

Group Two results

Leaders Leigh Leopards lost for the first time in Super League this season as they were edged out 20-16 by Featherstone Rovers, who keep pace with a Barrow side who stay a point behind the Leopards after a 76-0 win over Castleford Tigers.

In the other game, Salford Red Devils beat Bradford Bulls 30-6.