UK Women's RL Rankings: 2023-26

Currently, the UK game for women revolves around four clubs. These are listed below at rankings 1-4. They have contested all the finals between them. Wigan have been the most successful over the past two years, but it's St Helens that have been the most successful, according to the way I've scored it anyway. 

There are three competitions, the League, Finals and cup listed below. As Cardiff and London haven't played at the top level in England, the cup is their only opportunity to score points, and commendably, they both have. 

Saints had a relatively poor 2026, the fourth best club. Is that a hiccup or a sign of things to come? Captain Jodie Cunningham and vice captain Emily Rudge are departing, leaving a potential leadership problem. We will see.  

As for depth, the top four sides offer some financial reward to the players to varying degrees. I don't think below that any teams offer anything other than the pleasure to play. Barrow does well, in the top tier of the women's game while not to have a men's team in the top division.  Featherstone is doing even better, with no men's team at present. 

Queensland Cup 2026 Finals Series

The 2026 season has concluded with a long finals series, four rounds. The grand final video highlights are below, which can be viewed on YouTube. If you want to see the results first, they are below the video.

The Sunshine Coast won the league, coverage of that by me can be seen by clicking here. The finals themselves had results go as expected. It came down to the grand final with the top two league teams. Redcliffe had an advantage of having the Dolphins play in the NLR elite league, some well known names representing Redcliffe in the final.

The Sunshine Coast were on top early on but as the game progressed, Redcliffe came back and ultimately took title somewhat comfortably in the end. 

UK SLW 2026 League Standings (Women) Now Completed

The 2026 league has been concluded. How have the clubs fared? Here's my assessment.

I don't have in depth knowledge, but it's clear there are two divisions within one. There isn't enough talent to support eight clubs with any level of equality. The only way to increase the quality in depth is by offering young women a pathway and a chance to play the game competitively. 

5-8. While these four teams are good enough for the top 8, they are well off the pace when compared to the top four.

1-4. These teams possess the most talented players. Still, the top two within this elite level were a notch above the other two below them. 

To deal with the difference between the top four and lower four, the top four were then divided into the Super 4s, retaining their points from the table above and adding to them. 

Wigan did drop a game but ended well ahead. Three below had a tussle, with York slipping past St Helens on points difference. 

York's inflicting Wigan's only loss in the last game of the Super 4s, securing a playoff match with Leeds.  They won that 12-0 and headed to the grand final. York needed to defeat Wigan again and they did and took out the grand final 8-6 in a scoreless second half. 

The lower four then carried over their points into the Shield phase. The rank was only changed with Barrow moving up, courtesy of a superior goal difference. Barrow won two of their Shield games and Leigh lost all of theirs.

Leigh now had to defeat the London Broncos from the lower division to retain their Super League status. They were well beaten 6-36. London are promoted and Leigh go down to the Championshop competition below.