England Women stars call for equality with 80-minute NRLW matches

Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com – 02/11/2024 – Rugby League – ABK Beer Women’s International – England v Wales – AMT Headingley, Leeds, England – England celebrate Hollie-Mae Dodd’s try

JODIE Cunningham and Hollie-Mae Dodd have a simple message to rugby league bosses Down Under – let women play for 80 minutes.

Even though the NRLW is full-time, games there only last for 70 – 10 fewer than those over here and Test matches.

England star Hollie-Mae Dodd is among those calling on NRLW matches to be 80 minutes, not 70

England’s next match with Australia’s Jillaroos in Las Vegas on March 1 may be played to those rules as it is at the NRL’s event.

But Dodd, who plays for Canberra, and national skipper Cunningham want them to be the same as the men’s.

Hollie said after last Saturday’s 16-try, 82-0 thrashing of Wales: “Hopefully one day they go to 80 minutes and play like the men do.

“We want to be on a par with them, so we should be playing 80 minutes as well. I’m not too sure why games there are 10 minutes shorter.

“I hope the match in Las Vegas is 80 minutes. The girls here are experienced in that, so it may benefit us a bit too.”

England will now complete an astonishing two years without conceding a point after this Headingley hammering.

But St Helens star Jodie, who feels the only change should be the size of the ball as women’s hands are smaller, added: “I’m hoping the Las Vegas game will be 80 minutes long – international rules.

“That extra 10 minutes is when we’ll get them but if it’s 70 – which I’m not on board with – when the three men’s games are 80. It would take some explaining to Americans who don’t know the sport.

“But the fact our next game is in Las Vegas added a bit more weight to this one.”