Chantelle Crowl: How England and St Helens prop rose to enjoy ‘the best year of my life so far’ | Rugby League News

Chantelle Crowl was named player of the match as St Helens completed the treble with victory in the 2021 Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final; “Getting that Grand Final player of the match means a lot to me, that people are noticing,” she said

Chantelle Crowl played a starring role as St Helens won the Women’s Super League in 2021

Anyone who watched Chantelle Crowl in action during last year’s Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final would not have been surprised to see the prop claim the player of the match accolade for her role in St Helens’ win over Leeds Rhinos.

Her hard-running, intelligent play and deft offloading ability played a big role in laying the foundations for Saints’ 28-0 victory at Headingley on a crisp October afternoon which in turn saw them complete the treble, having already secured the Women’s Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield.

It may therefore come as a surprise to hear Crowl candidly admit she occasionally finds herself wracked by moments of self-doubt, but the England international has overcome those to enjoy a truly memorable year which included earning much-deserved individual as well as team recognition.

“It’s probably been the best year of my life so far,” Crowl told Sky Sports, reflecting on the 2021 campaign. “Getting the treble win and Grand Final player of the match was a big highlight of the season.

“We aimed to get at least one trophy behind us, but we wanted to win all three and to come away with the success was just phenomenal.

“I’m growing, I’m doing the right things and I know everyone doubts themselves, but I find personally sometimes I doubt myself, my game and overthink.

“Then when you get the success from it, you know you’re going in the right direction and getting that Grand Final player of the match means a lot to me, that people are noticing. It means I’m going in the right direction as well as the other girls.”

Crowl has been a mainstay of the Women’s Super League since the competition’s inaugural season in 2017, representing Thatto Heath and then joining Saints when the town’s professional outfit formed a women’s team in partnership with the community club.

Initially playing in the back row before moving to prop for the 2021 campaign, she had previously played for community clubs in Widnes as well as touch rugby in Manchester, having discovered the sport at the age of eight.

Indeed, rugby league has proven life-changing in more ways than one for Crowl – not least of all helping her adjust to life in the UK after moving here from Canada, the country of her birth, with her family soon after turning seven.

“When I moved over here, I was quite lost,” Crowl said. “There wasn’t really basketball and baseball over here close to home, so I had to put myself in a different kind of team.

When you get the success from it, you know you’re going in the right direction and getting that Grand Final player of the match means a lot to me, that people are noticing. It means I’m going in the right direction as well as the other girls.

Chantelle Crowl

“I tried karate and things like that, and it just didn’t work for me. Then when I went to rugby league, I just fell in love with it.

“I went through a bit of a hard time where I was angry for being over here, I was confused as a child, and just having your team-mates and coaching staff around you and being able to let loose on the pitch and run into someone, I couldn’t get enough. It helped me as well.

“I’ve only just become a prop as well and I absolutely love it!”

Along with aiming to help St Helens successfully defend all of their trophies in 2022, Crowl and 11 of her clubmates have an eye on being part of the England Women’s squad for the postponed Rugby League World Cup at the end of the year.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Player of the match Crowl was buzzing after St Helens won the Women’s Super League Grand Final in October

Having beaten both Wales and France in their return to action last year, the England team held their first training camp of the year over the weekend of January 15 and 16 in Leeds and are waiting to find out details of their planned mid-season international.

Before then, Saints kick off their defence of the Challenge Cup in the group stages on March 13, followed by the new BWSL season getting underway just over a week after the Cup final on May 15.

Crowl, her team-mates and their rival clubs have already done much to inspire the next generation of women rugby league players and she has seen that herself, being impressed with the numbers of U19s starting to make their mark at St Helens.

That increased competition for places is driving her on, as is the success she has already enjoyed as both Crowl and the women’s game aim to take more steps forward in 2022.

Crowl is aiming to be part of the England squad for this year’s World Cup

“It definitely gives me more motivation to keep pushing and getting the praise we should be getting,” Crowl said.

“I’m absolutely loving it and I’m hoping this year coming up is going to be women, women, women, showcasing the women’s game.

“We’ve got a lot of people behind us at the minute and we just want that performance level to keep growing.”

Sky Sports will be showing more coverage of the Betfred Women’s Super League than ever before in 2022, including the semi-finals and Grand Final live. Watch Crowl and her St Helens team-mates take on Leeds Rhinos in a live match on Thursday, June 23.