Women's Super League leaders Saints win as Leeds lose
England international Leah Burke ran in four first-half tries for St Helens in a dominant display
- Published
St Helens extended their lead at the top of the Women's Super League table after comfortably beating Huddersfield Giants 40-8.
Saints' title rivals Leeds Rhinos went down 32-6 at home to fourth-placed York Valkyrie which means the gap between the top two has opened up to four points with just two games remaining.
Leah Burke ran in four first-half tries whilst fellow winger Dani McGifford scored a hat-trick and Megan Williams completed the scoring in a dominant eight-try win at Laund Hill.
Rhinos needed to beat Valkyrie to keep the gap to Saints at two points, but found themselves 16 points down midway through the first half.
First, loose forward Megan Pakulis crashed over in front of the posts for Valkyrie.
Then prop Olivia Wood found a gap in the Rhinos defence to dive over with the impressive Tara-Jane Stanley adding the extras.
A converted try from Evie Cousins was as good as it got for the hosts as first former Leeds player Rhiannon Marshall scored near the posts and five minutes into the second half Lacey Owen walked in to make the game safe.
Savannah Andrade's try following a Rhinos mistake added gloss to the score line late on for Valkyrie who go level Leeds and Wigan Warriors on 18 points.
Wigan leapfrogged Rhinos into second place on points difference after demolishing Warrington Wolves 82-0 at home.
Anna Davies scored a hat-trick for the hosts, with Isabel Rowe, Grace Banks, Eva Hunter, and Ruby Hunter adding a couple each in a 15 try win.
Molly Jones, Emma Knowles, Ellise Derbyshire, and Cerys Jones also went over for The Cherry and Whites in a rampant display.
Bottom club Featherstone Rovers threatened to mount a second-half comeback at home to Barrow Raiders after coming back from 22-0 to reduce the arrears to 12 points but were unable to pick up their first points of the season.
Vanessa Temple went over twice for the Raiders with Leah Cottier, Nicole Stewart, and Emily Stirzaker also on the score sheet in a 28-16 win at Millennium Stadium.