WOMEN in rugby league will be a massive focus at 1300SMILES Stadium next month in conjunction with the Round 16 National Rugby League match between the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys and the Cronulla Sharks.
The Cowboys host the Sharks on Saturday, June 27, but a specially convened curtain-raiser is also tipped to wow fans, with women taking centre stage.
As State of Origin continues to grip Queensland and New South Wales Rugby League fans, another contest is approaching between the two states, with the Women’s Interstate Challenge to be played next month in North Queensland.
The match will feature members of the Australian Jillaroo’s, who will be competing against each other rather than for the national team.
The state of female rugby league continues to expand, with the recent Test between the Jillaroo’s and the New Zealand Ferns attracting a significant television audience, particularly across Sydney and New South Wales.
The win against the Kiwis, coupled with strong viewership bode well for another exciting clash next month in Townsville, where New South Wales will be looking to take their first win against Queensland in sixteen appearances.
The Women’s Interstate Challenge will be played before the Cowboys and Sharks match (round 16) at 1300Smiles Stadium. Jillaroo’s coach Steve Folkes said he expected the game to be another great occasion for female rugby league.
“The Interstate Challenge is an exciting and important fixture in the elite Women’s Rugby League pathway,” Folkes said..
“To have the Women’s Interstate Challenge played at a world-class venue before an NRL match shows the profile and interest that the game and female rugby league participation continues to develop,” he said.
Both sides will be announced in early June, with the game streamed live on NRL.COM on June 27 from 2:45pm. Tickets to the match are on sale now through tickets.nrl.com
The game currently has over 180,000 women and girls playing rugby league in Australia, with a 30 per cent increase in club registrations last year.
