Danny McGuire plays sentimental role in Leeds Rhinos Women’s preparations for Challenge Cup Final

Today Leeds Rhinos’ Women are looking to wrestle back the Challenge Cup trophy.

At 12:00 on BBC Two, the Rhinos take on St Helens at Elland Road with the Women’s Challenge Cup up for grabs.

The Rhinos won it in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, they were denied a chance to retain their trophy by the pandemic and last year they were knocked out of the semi-finals by eventual winners St Helens. It was the second year in a row that the two teams had served up a cracking cup semi-final and the two would eventually meet in the Super League Grand Final.

Today, Leeds are determined to take back the Challenge Cup and avenge their Grand Final defeat and will have been given a welcome boost by Danny McGuire.

A Leeds legend and an eight-time Super League Grand Final winner as well as a two-time Challenge Cup winner, McGuire was always the man for the big occasion scoring 13 tries in various finals including eight at Old Trafford, two at Wembley and three in the World Club Challenge.

It was his job this week to present the Rhinos ladies with their final shirts ahead of today’s blockbuster battle with St Helens. No doubt a lovely moment for the younger members of the Leeds team who likely grew up idolising McGuire and his teammates, he most likely had some words of wisdom for them as well going into such a big game.

Thank you to Rhinos legend @DannyMcguire6 for presenting the Leeds Rhinos Women's team with their shirts for today's @TheChallengeCup Final.#TeamRhinos | #LeedsRhinosWRL pic.twitter.com/Q8Y4fAp7Rz

— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) May 7, 2022

Today is also a big day for McGuire himself who alongside another former Rhino in Hull KR boss Tony Smith will look to guide the Robins to the men’s Challenge Cup Final with a semi-final win over Huddersfield this afternoon.

It’s Smith’s last chance to take the Robins to the cup final after announcing that his departure will come at the end of the year.

Interestingly, there has been speculation that McGuire could also jump ship being linked with the Leeds job before Smith’s nephew Rohan Smith was appointed.

Perhaps McGuire’s involvement in the women’s team shows that a Headingley return in some capacity is not out of the question going forward. That said, the Robins may like the idea of McGuire as the successor to Smith going forward.