Third England international confirmed as heading to the NRLW

NRLW side North Queensland Cowboys have signed England international full-back Fran Goldthorp on a two-year contract from Women’s Super League club Leeds.

The 20-year-old is regarded as one of the best young talents in the British game, having scored 45 tries in 44 appearances for Leeds since making her first team debut in 2019. She has won two Super League titles with the Rhinos.

Despite only turning 20 in January, Goldthorp has already won four caps for England, playing in last year’s World Cup on home soil.

A multi-sport athlete, Goldthorp played high-level cricket as a junior and also plays in the top-tier English Women’s Rugby Union competition with Loughborough Lightning. She was recently selected for the England Under-20s representative side.

Cowboys delighted to secure services of Fran Goldthorp

Former Wakefield and Bradford star Ben Jeffries, who is now the head coach of the Cowboys women’s team, is pleased to secure the signing of the highly-rated Goldthorp.

He said: “Fran is a dual international who will bring experience and composure to our spine alongside Kirra Dibb and Emma Manzelmann.

“Watching Fran throughout the World Cup last year, she was one of England’s standout players, who is very dynamic and loves to have the ball in her hand.

“As a club we’re very excited to see Fran flourish under our roof for the next two seasons here in North Queensland and like all elite players, she is very much looking forward to testing herself against the best in the world’s elite women’s rugby league competition.”

Goldthorp made her Super League debut for Leeds at the age of just 16 back in 2019. She helped the Rhinos win the title in 2019 and 2022.

The full-back, who has scored seven tries in eight tests for England, was also nominated for the Woman of Steel award in 2021.

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