Former England coach says Australia humbling in Las Vegas did ‘a lot of damage'
Former England women's rugby league head coach Craig Richards believes the 90-4 humiliation by Australia in Las Vegas in March did 'a lot of damage' to the perception of the sport in this country.
His side's march to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup had a surge of interest in the women's game and led indirectly to a number of star England players landing historic contracts in the fully-professional NRL.
Richards, who announced his departure from the England job in an emotional press conference in the wake of their last-four defeat to New Zealand, hopes the chastening experience in the US will act as a timely wake-up call for the domestic game.
'Social media-wise, it did a lot of damage,' said Richards of the Las Vegas clash, which was bolted onto an international programme that also saw the start of the men's NRL season and the Super League clash between Wigan and Warrington.
'I don't think it was a true reflection of where we are at. I'm not saying we're anywhere close to beating the Aussies, but I also don't believe there is a 90-point gap.
'Internally it didn't harm us, but it made us question whether we are resting a little bit, and if we need to dig in a little bit deeper. I think the women's game is still in a good place, but we don't hide from the fact that there is still a lot to be done.'
After leaving the international set-up, Richards returned to St Helens where he succeeded Matty Smith as women's joint head coach alongside Derek Hardman for the start of the current campaign.
He will lead Saints out at Wembley on Saturday as they bid for their fifth successive women's Challenge Cup win against Wigan, in a match Richards hopes will serve as a timely reminder of the strength of the English women's game.
While Saints have only emphasised their domestic dominance in recent seasons, Wigan, who are contesting the final for the first time, have surged to prominence after an ambitious overhaul led by club legend Denis Betts.
'The group didn't need any motivation – we always ask, are you becoming complacent? Are you happy with what you've done so far? Have you got the hunger to kick on? – and the girls have proved that,' said Richards.
'Throw Wigan into the mix and that just excites everyone. When you're at a club like St Helens it doesn't go unnoticed, it's the one you always look for on the fixture list, and the fact we've got them at Wembley is huge for us.
'I think it's also massive for the women's game. We have had the same teams at the top of Super League and we need to expand that. This is an opportunity and a responsibility for us to go out and put on a real showcase for the women's game.'
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