YORK Valkyrie may be favourites to clinch a historic second consecutive Betfred Women’s Super League Leaders’ Shield when they head to Wigan Warriors on Sunday, but Director of Rugby Lindsay Anfield has warned her side not to become complacent in their plight.

Having remained unbeaten throughout their league campaign - the only blemish of which is a 12-12 draw with fierce rivals Leeds Rhinos - York seem set to make that dream a reality this weekend.

A week’s break, owing to the Wembley Finals, has left the Valkyrie well rested, with influential full-back Tara Jane Stanley likely to feature after recovering from a knock, and half-back Liv Gale from an injury sustained at Warrington Wolves a fortnight ago.

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But despite having eased to a 40-6 triumph over Wigan at the LNER Community Stadium in the sides’ last meeting, York’s opponents did put paid to their ambitions of a second Women’s Nines title in June, with Anfield hopeful that her side will not become complacent in their apparent stroll towards the title.

“I think that they’ll be a big challenge,” she admitted. “Every game they just seem to be getting better and better.

“Kris [Ratcliffe], their head coach, he’s fantastic. He’s a really great guy and he’s spent a lot of time working with their Under 19s to bring through a really good calibre of young players.

“You can see from them in the Nines tournament and the way that they played against Leeds [in the Women’s Challenge Cup Semi Final] that they’re really coming to the forefront now.

“We can’t be complacent at all.”

Wigan became the first team to beat York in 2023 when they claimed a 12-4 victory in the Nines Semi Finals, but as Anfield concedes, the regular format game is very different to its fast and furious counterpart.

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“It is a different game,” Anfield continued. “And they are young and inexperienced.

“But I think it proved in that Leeds game, when we go into it, not complacent, but still thinking that we’re going to win.

“What I try and say to the girls is unless you’re giving everything, and unless you’re at your best, you will get beaten or you will be in a huge contest.

“I think that was maybe a shock to them. Some of them maybe thought ‘80 per cent is good enough’ when it definitely wasn’t.”

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But just how does Anfield avoid complacency in her squad ahead of such a milestone? By focusing on preparation.

“We’ve just got to prepare properly,” she revealed. “I know we’ve just had a week off, but I think that it’s done everybody some good.

“They’re in training tonight and we’ll be in training on Friday. It’s making sure that the messaging and everything is equal to the big game at the weekend, and that the preparation and the review has been as good as every other game.

“The girls know that there is a lot at stake. We don’t want to slip up this weekend and then potentially lose out on a trophy.”