Leeds Rhinos Women welcome new recruits to P2P programme

Leeds Rhinos have welcomed thirteen new players onto their Women’s Pathway to Performance (P2P) programme.

The new players have joined from community clubs across Yorkshire, including Lock Lane, Siddal, Stanningley, Dewsbury Moor, West Bowling, Oulton Raidettes, Featherstone Lions and Shawcross Sharks.

Pathway to Performance is a programme run by Betfred Women’s Super League clubs for female players in their final two academic school years, with clubs allowed up to 12 players per age group and additional spaces for talent transfer prospects. 

The new group were invited to AMT Headingley Stadium on Saturday 8th August, where they were welcomed by the club’s Chief Executive Jamie Jones-Buchanan MBE, who took them on a tour of the players’ tunnel before they were unveiled to the crowd in attendance for the Rhinos’ Women’s Super League game against York.

New signings for 2026-27 are:

Amiya Dale
Alexia-Mae Lambert Hood
Bella Bradley
Flo Taylor
Kara Coop
Klara Chippendale
Tilly Lynn
Poppy McNulty
Tansy Forester Green
Tori Jones
Adaline Metcalf
Farida Mak
Fearne Simpson

This will be the third season the Rhinos have run the P2P programme, which is led by current Rhinos Women’s player Shannon Lacey.  

The club also recognised and celebrated the current achievement of players in their second year of our P2P programme.

Eight players have been selected to graduate from the two year programme to Leeds Rhinos U19s; these players were also celebrated at the stadium on the pitch with Jamie Jones-Buchanan MBE and club captain Caitlin Beevers.

The players stepping up to the Academy are:
Lottie Johnson
Allanah Maynard
Daisy Kaye 
Ffion Coward
Olivia Stead
Lydia Jones
Leah Unwin
Esther Selway

Lois Forsell, Leeds Rhinos Women’s head coach, said: “We have established a really good scouting team and Warren Broadley, who heads up our Talent ID, has been working with Neil Stead, John Studdard and John Turpin. This team works closely with Lois Forsell and Academy Head Coaches Ellis Pascall and Shannon Brown. They go out and watch games and we have been building up some good relationships with community clubs, who are doing a fantastic job. We are delighted to welcome these new recruits to our programme and it is a credit to how the girls have performed in their community games and how they have been developed by their clubs.  It’s not a closed door though and although we’ve made our selection for this year we will continue to look at players who develop during the season and there will be more opportunities.  

“It’s really competitive to get on our programme, so the girls who have come through have done exceptionally well and it’s a proud moment for them and their families and also for us as a club to welcome them. There are more girls age groups playing now at clubs, which puts the Women’s game in a very healthy place. Leeds Rhinos Foundation are also doing a great job to support that growth and player development, with programmes Keara Bennett leads on such as Rhinos Talent Pathway programme, High School competitions and Leeds City College Development Academy, there are lots of opportunities to be exposed to good learning environments.

“The P2P programme runs one evening a week throughout the year.  They players continue to play community rugby, but with us they will be exposed to a gym programme to make them better athletes as well as better rugby players. They will do on field training as well as off field stuff like game analysis. Hopefully, many of them will progress to our U19s academy so it’s important they have a great experience at the club and grow both on and off the field and they enjoy working with our staff”.