This weekend marks the start of the Betfred Women's Challenge Cup campaign as Leeds Rhinos travel to Leigh Miners Rangers ARLFC to take on Leigh Leopards on Saturday.

Here's your match preview:

Opposition

Coming off the back of their joint-best finish to a Challenge Cup campaign in 2025, Leigh Leopards face the Rhinos for a fourth consecutive season in the competition as both sides look to get 2026 off to the best possible start.

After progressing out of the group stages, the Leopards featured in the quarter finals of a cup competition for the second time in their history but ultimately lost out 52-0 against York Valkyrie. Their success in the Cup was the first sign of what turned out to be a positive season for Kieron Purtill's side as their form over the course of their debut season saw them record three wins and a sixth-place finish.

Heading into 2026, the side is under new management as Nigel Johnson and Paul Arnison take over from Purtill for the upcoming season. Both Johnson and Arnison were part of the management of the former Leigh Miners Rangers Women's side before they merged with the Leopards three years ago, and they face a stern first task against the Rhinos before travelling to London for their second group game next weekend. Should they progress out of Group B, they can set up another quarter-final outing ahead of the league season starting against Featherstone in May.

Leeds have won all four matchups against Leigh in the Cup, starting back in 2022 when they recorded 17 tries against a Leigh Miners Rangers outfit in the group stages.

The Leopards organisation took over the Miners Rangers Women's programme ahead of the 2023 season and helped the side to promotion to Super League within two years. During that time, they faced Leeds twice more in the Cup - once in the quarter finals in 2023 and once in the group stages of 2024. Leigh's first visit to AMT Headingley in the final eight ended in a shutout win for the Rhinos as they claimed a 54-0 result on their way to Wembley. A year later, it was a similar story as the Leopards were defeated 52-4 before 

Head to head

Games Played: Six

Leeds Wins: Six

Leigh Wins: None

Leeds' Highest Score: 92-0 (2022, Round Three)

Last Time Out

This weekend in the Cup

Group A

Huddersfield Giants vs St Helens (Sunday 5th April)

Group B

Leigh Leopards vs Leeds Rhinos (Saturday 4th April)

Group C

Featherstone Rovers vs Wigan Warriors (Saturday 4th April)

Ticket Information

Fan information will be available in due course.