York ease past Huddersfield to clinch play-off spot

Tara Stanley scored two tries in a 20-point personal haul against Huddersfield

Betfred Women's Super League

York (26) 48

Tries: Partington 2, Wood, Stanley 2, Roberts, Pakulis, Kershaw, Renouf Goals: Stanley 6

Huddersfield (4) 10

Tries: Brown, Fairbank Goals: Thompson

York Valkyrie ran in nine tries to cruise past Huddersfield Giants and secure their place in the Women's Super League play-offs.

The defending champions remain fourth - now four points behind leaders St Helens - and are 10 points clear in the top four with three rounds to play.

Eboni Partington, Liv Wood and Tara Stanley all crossed in the space of eight minutes to put York in control before Amelia Brown burst clear to get the Giants on the board.

Valkyrie full-back Stanley tore through the defence for her second score and added her third conversion.

Carrie Roberts then added a fifth try as the hosts raced into a 26-4 half-time lead.

The home side continued to dominate after the break as Megan Pakulis barged her way over and Emma Kershaw found space on the right edge to cross.

Tamzin Renouf forced her way to the line to become York’s seventh different scorer and Partington added her second try as the hosts went 44 points clear.

Huddersfield, who stay sixth after an eighth league defeat of the season, had the final say when Chloe Fairbank crossed for a consolation late on, with Ellie Thompson's boot adding the extras.

York: Stanley, Partington, Parker, Roberts, Kershaw, Pommier, Eastwood, Wood, Hetherington, Bell, Taylor, Andrade, Pakulis.

Interchanges: Sharp, Renouf, Gentles, Exley.

Huddersfield: Brown, Iceton, Da Silva, Moxon, Goddard, Townend, Hulme, Webster, Preston, Wilkinson, Naidole, Hobbs, Thompson.

Interchanges: Grady, Schofield, Fairbank, Whitehead.