England vs Australia is all the time a heated rivalry, however Hollie-Mae Dodd is prepared for it to achieve one other degree when the 2 sides conflict in Las Vegas, stay on Sky Sports activities.
Dodd is one in every of England girls’s star names that heads out to Sin Metropolis to participate in a groundbreaking weekend of rugby league motion at Allegiant Stadium, with two NRL contests, Wigan Warriors vs Warrington Wolves in Tremendous League, and the worldwide conflict between the 2 girls’s outfits (Sunday March 2, 2am UK time).
Whereas England and Australia dealing with off is a rarity, Dodd is in a singular place amongst the England squad because of her competing full-time within the WNRL for Canberra Raiders since 2023 and enjoying members of the world no 1 Jillaroos regularly.
England have edged ever nearer to competing with the Southern hemisphere sides, relationship again to the semi-final look towards New Zealand on the Rugby League World Cup in 2022, with Dodd seeing Vegas as the right take a look at for the highest stars within the Northern Hemisphere to see the place they at the moment stand.
“I’ve performed towards among the ladies which might be at the moment enjoying for Australia, clearly, final yr and the yr earlier than that,” Dodd informed Sky Sports activities.
“So I am going to have that little perception of data of how the gamers carry out over there. However I do know the ladies over right here, they have been coaching arduous. And clearly, they’re at the moment within the pre-season for the Tremendous League.
“They’re coaching arduous at their golf equipment as nicely. All of us simply come along with our little information that we have from our golf equipment and, you realize, mix that.
“Among the ladies on this squad have not really performed towards Australia. I’ve by no means performed towards them. And I do know among the Australians have not really performed towards England.
“So, it is going to be a very good take a look at for ourselves and to see the place we’re at. It was disappointing to dropping that match towards New Zealand (within the World Cup), as a result of I assumed it was such contest.
“To go over to America and play towards Australia will probably be a very good expertise to see the place we’re at.”
Viva the expansion of girls’s rugby league
Whereas England will probably be going into the competition seeking to trigger an upset and play their finest rugby, it’s not misplaced on Dodd what a big and seminal second it is going to be for the game. Eyes on the ladies’s match are anticipated to be large, with a bumper crowd packing out the Allegiant stadium for an action-packed day of rugby league.
“Oh, it is big,” Dodd added. “We can’t have ever performed in entrance of a crowd like that earlier than.
“Clearly, there’s a couple of video games on beforehand, so hopefully they keep to observe the ladies’s sport as nicely. It will likely be so good for the event of the sport over there and over right here, to be sincere.
“You’ve got the boys’s video games earlier than and after, so that permits folks to remain round to observe the ladies’s sport. A few of us will not have ever performed in entrance of that many individuals earlier than, in order that’ll be actually thrilling.
“We’ve got been wanting ahead to it for fairly some time now and it permits us to see the place we’re at and get that preparation in place. And I believe, clearly, enjoying towards Australia is such a giant step up for us.
“The final sport we performed was towards Wales and we have to take a look at ourselves a bit extra. I believe enjoying in entrance of such a giant crowd and hopefully performing nicely over there’ll take a look at us on the place we’re at.
“The ladies are very dedicated they usually do it as a result of they love the game. So, I believe, clearly, the eagerness they have for the game permits us to kick on and try to compete with them.”
“Clearly, we all know how large the event is on the minute however I believe we’re simply making an attempt to concentrate on ourselves.
“As quickly as the ladies head over there and see how large the stadium is and listen to the gang and issues like that, I believe there will be a couple of nerves within the air, yeah, undoubtedly.”
2025 Tremendous League – key dates and what to look out for
March 1: Wigan Warriors vs Warrington Wolves in Las Vegas
April 17-19: Spherical 8 – Rivals Spherical
Might 3-4: Magic Spherical (St James’ Park, Newcastle)
July 24: August 31 – Spherical 20 – break up spherical throughout two weekends
September 4-7: Spherical 25 – Rivals Spherical fixtures reversed
September 18-21: Spherical 27 – final spherical of standard season (dates and instances tbc)
September 26-27: Elimination Play-Offs
October 3-4: Semi-Finals
Saturday October 11: Grand Closing (Previous Trafford)
Sky Sports activities will once more present each sport of the Tremendous League stay this season – together with two matches in every spherical solely stay, with the remaining 4 matches every week proven on Sky Sports activities+. Not bought Sky? Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
