NEWS | Homegrown hero Marshall to feature in historic weekend of Rugby League at the Eco-Power Stadium

History will be made at the Eco-Power Stadium on a huge weekend of Rugby League in Doncaster.

The ground was selected to host a double header of Betfred Challenge Cup Semi Finals on Saturday, meaning that the tie between York Valkyrie and St Helens will become the first Women’s Rugby League fixture played at the ground – which has such a strong record of hosting top-class women’s sport, including England Lionesses internationals against Latvia and France.

That will be followed by a mouthwatering men’s clash between the Betfred Super League heavyweights Hull KR and Wigan Warriors (1.45pm), and then on Sunday afternoon (3pm) by the latest big match for the Dons in their Betfred Championship campaign – at home to the Batley Bulldogs, who were the first ever winners of the Challenge Cup in 1897.

There is plenty of local interest on Saturday, with Rhiannion Marshall, the former England international who started playing rugby at Toll Bar, a key figure in the York Valkyrie team aiming to secure a place in the second Women’s Challenge Cup Final at Wembley.

Toll Bar youngsters will be included in the members of the Future Dons Pathway Programme who will be acting as ball boys and girls for both Semi Finals – while the Hull KR squad includes Jez Litten and Jordan Lane, who became popular figures in a number of loan spells with the Dons earlier in their careers.

Carl Hall, the Doncaster RLFC Chief Executive, said:

“We were pleased to welcome Jez Litten and Rhiannion Marshall back to the Eco-Power Stadium this week when they attended the media conferences ahead of the Semi Finals.

“It’s great for Doncaster as a club and a town that we get to host these matches, both being shown live on the BBC.

“It’s exciting to think we’ll have a big Women’s Rugby League fixture being played at the Eco-Power Stadium for the first time, and fitting that Rhiannion will be playing it – and I know she’ll have plenty of local support.

“It’s a chance for us to remind Rugby League about the quality of our stadium, and the progress we’ve made over the last few years to get back into the Betfred Championship, and the development of our local clubs.

“It means a busy weekend for us all with the big game against Batley on Sunday – and this is a good chance to thank the hardworking staff at the Eco-Power Stadium who will be delivering two big Rugby League events in consecutive days.”