Andrade bags hat-trick as Valkyrie sail into Challenge Cup quarter-finals

SAVANNAH Andrade starred with a hat-trick as York Valkyrie sealed their spot in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Challenge Cup with a 54-6 victory against Featherstone Rovers. The Championship side gave York a run for their money in parts, with the hosts finding it hard to break their opponents down. Ellie Williamson though made the breakthrough on nine minutes, with Andrade extending their lead before Jazz Rampton scored either side of a debut try for interchange hooker Izzy Bibby.

Featherstone hit back through Liv Grace but the Valkyrie took in a comfortable 24-6 half-time lead. Six further tries followed for York after the break, with debutant Tara Moxon and Tamzin Renouf both bagging doubles, and Andrade completing her hat-trick as they sealed their progression in the competition. Lindsay Anfield made three changes from last week’s win at Huddersfield, handing Moxon her debut, with Emma Kershaw and Rhiannion Marshall both also coming in to start.



Evie Sexton and Liv Wood dropped out of the squad with injury and Izzy Brennan to 18th woman. York had beaten Featherstone twice on their way to the Challenge Cup semi-finals last season but found things tougher going this time around. The hosts looked to race out of the blocks at a blustery LNER but instead produced an error-strewn first half that was flat by their high standards.

A flurry of early chances came the Valkyrie’s way, but Moxon lost the ball as she looked to twist out of a tackle before Williamson’s chip to the right corner was well in front of the onrushing Eboni Partington and instead bounced dead. Their next opportunity came from a neat short-side shift on the five-minute mark, but a loose final pass handed Featherstone a pressure-relieving scrum on their 10-metre line. But it wasn’t long before the hosts finally made one of their chances count, Renouf releasing Williamson, who carved her way around the Rovers defence from 40 metres to score under the posts and hand herself a simple conversion.

And the Aussie half-back was successful from the kicking tee again just two minutes later after Marshall had broken through before feeding the supporting Andrade to dot down under the posts. However, poor decisions and errors soon began to creep back into the Valkyrie’s game. Sade Rihari’s left-edge chip was easily collected by Ellie Lamb before a loose pass invited Featherstone into their half for the first time, but Partington did well to force Shavon Craven into a mistake on the 20-metre line.

They did though add more points to the board in the 21st minute off the back of a penalty, with a neat show of hands on the left edge releasing Rampton, who raced clear 20 metres to dive in at the corner. Williamson could not land the touchline conversion. Hooker Bibby was next to add her name to the scoresheet seven minutes later, backing herself out of dummy half to crash over to the left of the posts.

However, Featherstone soon hit back, Grace powering her way over from close range after a penalty for a high tackle. Dani Waters tagged on the extras. York though had the last word before the break as Rampton crossed over on the left edge.

Williamson’s conversion hit the post, but the hosts still led 24-6 at the break. Both sides made errors at the start of the second half but York soon found themselves back on top, Moxon, playing in the second row for the first time, breaking away from halfway and rounding Angel Bentley to mark her debut with a try just to the left of the posts. Featherstone then looked to capitalise on a dropped pass but instead gifted the Valkyrie a penalty, with Moxon again too quick as she surged down the left wing to score her second try in six minutes.

Williamson’s conversion again cannoned off the post. The flurry of tries continued on the hour when Andrade broke through the defence to score under the posts, before the second-rower unselfishly laid the ball off for Renouf to dive over out wide five minutes later. Andrade brought up her hat-trick with nine minutes left to play, using her strength and speed to brush off a series of tackles as she raced clear from a scrum deep within her own half.

And the Valkyrie completed the rout in the final minute, with nobody able to lay a hand on Renouf as she was released into space on the right wing from a scrum. Anfield’s side must now wait for the final round of group fixtures to be completed next weekend to find out their quarter-final opponents. TRIES: Williamson (9), Andrade (11, 60, 71), Rampton (21, 38), Bibby (28), Moxon (47, 53), Renouf (65, 79) GOALS: Williamson 5/11 TRIES: Grace (35) GOALS: Waters 1/1 POINTS SEQUENCE: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 16-0, 20-0, 20-4, 24-6, 28-6, 30-6, 34-6, 38-6, 40-6, 44-6, 48-6, 50-6, 54-6 HALF TIME: 24-6 YORK’S STAR WOMAN: Savannah Andrade.

Featherstone found it hard to contain the second-rower's power and pace. REFEREE: Aaryn Belafonte.