Amy Hardcastle
{{Short description|England international rugby league player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name = Amy Hardcastle
| image =
| image_size =
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| fullname = Amy Hardcastle
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|3|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
| height =
| weight =
| position = {{rlp|CE}}
| club1 = {{nowrap|Bradford Bulls}}
| year1start = 2009
| year1end = 20
| appearances1 =
| tries1 =
| goals1 =
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| club2 = St Helens
| year2start = 2020
| year2end = 22
| appearances2 = 14
| tries2 = 27
| goals2 = 0
| fieldgoals2 = 0
| points2 = 108
| club3 = Leeds Rhinos
| year3start = 2023
| year3end = 24
| appearances3 = 10
| tries3 = 10
| goals3 = 0
| fieldgoals3 = 0
| points3 = 40
| club4 = {{nowrap|St Helens}}
| year4start = 2025
| year4end = present
| appearances4 = 0
| tries4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| fieldgoals4 = 0
| points4 = 0
| teamA = {{rlnt|wENG}}
| yearAstart = 2009
| yearAend = present
| appearancesA = 24
| triesA = 26
| goalsA = 0
| fieldgoalsA = 0
| pointsA = 104
| teamB = Yorkshire
| yearBstart = 20??
| yearBend =
| appearancesB =
| triesB =
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| updated = 17 April 2025
| source = {{cite web |title=04{{!}} Amy Hardcastle |url=https://www.saintsrlfc.com/teams/sthelens-women/amy-hardcastle/ |website=St.Helens R.F.C. |access-date=12 March 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929093014/https://www.saintsrlfc.com/teams/sthelens-women/amy-hardcastle/ |archive-date=29 September 2022}}{{Rugby league records|id=15042|access-date=17 August 2023}}
}}
Amy Hardcastle (born 4 March 1989){{cite web |title=Amy Hardcastle |url=https://www.nrl.com/players/womens-internationals/england/amy-hardcastle/ |website=National Rugby League |access-date=12 March 2022}} is an English rugby league player who plays at {{rlp|ce}} for St Helens in the Betfred Women's Super League.
Playing career
=Bradford Bulls=
Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Hardcastle first played rugby league for Siddal before taking time away from the game after having her daughter. On her return Siddal had disbanded their women's team so Hardcastle joined Bradford Bulls.{{cite web |title=Exclusive chat with Amy Hardcastle |url=https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/exclusive-chat-with-amy-hardcastle-26524/ |website=Rugby League News |access-date=12 March 2022 |date=29 January 2020}} Over the next 10 years Hardcastle experienced considerable success as Bradford won the league title twice and the Challenge Cup once.
=St Helens=
In 2020 Hardcastle left Bradford to join St Helens but did not make her first appearance for St Helens until 2021 as the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last1=Yates |first1=John |title=Saints women set for season opener against Bradford |url=https://www.sthelensreporter.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/saints-women-set-for-season-opener-against-bradford-3202862 |access-date=12 March 2022 |work=St Helens Reporter |date=16 April 2021}} In her first full season with St Helens, Hardcastle scored 23 tries in just 13 appearances.
When the NRL named its women's team of the decade in 2020, Hardcastle was the only English player to feature in the team.{{cite news |last1=Alderman |first1=Elgan |title=Amy Hardcastle: Working in A&E wore me down — now I can't wait to get back to rugby |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-union/article/amy-hardcastle-working-in-a-amp-e-wore-me-down-now-i-cant-wait-to-get-back-to-rugby-htp5smcpq |access-date=12 March 2022 |work=The Times |date=17 April 2021}}
In November 2023, it was announced that Hardcastle had been appointed as the Women's and Girls Rugby League Development Officer at Halifax Panthers.{{cite web|url=https://halifaxpanthers.co.uk/panthers-news/hardcastle-appointed-as-womens-and-girls-development-officer/ |title=Hardcastle appointed as Women's and Girls Development Officer |website=Halifax Panthers |access-date=20 December 2023}}
=St Helens (rejoin)=
On 8 November 2024 it was announced that Hardcastle had re-signed for St Helens{{cite web|website=BBC Sport|date=8 Nov 2024|title=England centre Hardcastle returns to Saints from Leeds|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/c89v0vqp2edo}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/24708900.englands-amy-hardcastle-re-joins-saints-leeds-rhinos/|title=England's Amy Hardcastle re-joins Saints from Leeds Rhinos|publisher=St Helen's Star|accessdate=9 November 2024}}
=Representative=
Hardcastle was first selected for the England national team in 2009 and played in both the 2013 and 2017 World Cup competitions.{{cite web |title=Dacia England Focus {{!}} Amy Hardcastle |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/23353/dacia-england-focus--amy-hardcastle- |website=www.rugby-league.com |publisher=RFL |access-date=11 May 2023 |date=15 April 2020}} {{As of|2022|3}} Hardcastle has made 19 appearances for the national side, scoring 18 tries.
Hardcastle has also represented Yorkshire in Origin Series matches against Lancashire.{{cite web |url=http://www.womensrugbyleague.co.uk/article/13853/origin-seals-a-dramatic-end-to-season |title=Origin seals a dramatic end to season |work=Women's Rugby League |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113021222/http://www.womensrugbyleague.co.uk/article/13853/origin-seals-a-dramatic-end-to-season |archive-date=13 January 2016 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=Women's Origin {{!}} Davies dazzles for Lancashire |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/63211/womens-origin-%7C-davies-dazzles-for-lancashire |publisher=RFL |access-date=1 December 2024 |date=20 October 2024}}
Personal life
Away from rugby league, Hardcastle is a healthcare assistant in the accident & emergency department at the Royal Halifax Infirmary.{{cite news |last1=Tomas |first1=Fiona |last2=Davies |first2=Gareth A. |last3=Rowan |first3=Kate |title=Five sportswomen turned key workers tell their stories: from the NHS front line to policing London - and keeping B&Q stocked up |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2020/04/14/five-sportspeople-turned-key-workers-tell-stories-nhs-front/ |access-date=12 March 2022 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=14 April 2020}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.therhinos.co.uk/teams/profile/1063/amy-hardcastle Leeds Rhinos profile]
{{England 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup Squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardcastle, Amy}}
Category:Bradford Bulls Women players
Category:England women's national rugby league team players
Category:English female rugby league players
Category:Leeds Rhinos Women players
Category:Rugby league players from Halifax, West Yorkshire
Category:St Helens Women RLFC players