Gemma leaves Wigan to join partner Emily at St Helens

The Wigan RL women's skipper and stand-off is joining neighbours St Helens where she will link up with her wife, England captain Emily Rudge.

Walsh, 36, told Serious About RL: “Emily is excited for my move and fully supports me. It will be much easier in our personal life, too.

''I’ve seen first-hand how much the club value their women’s team and I’ve heard nothing but positives from her, so the decision was very easy for me to make.

“Saints play a really attacking style of rugby and I’m looking forward to being a part of this great club and I’m buzzing to get in and start pre-season.''

She added:''Playing and captaining Wigan was a dream come true. I'm Wigan through and through and to say I won the Grand Final playing for the team was one of the greatest achievements of my career so far but I'm sad how it ended.

''I really thought that after what we achieved in 2018 the club would kick on but the whole of the 2019 season was an uphill struggle with things internally which were out of the players' control.''