Wigan Warriors' Rachel Thompson discusses her love of the club and shares her Challenge Cup dreams

The women’s captain is currently working her back to full fitness following a knee injury, which has kept her on the sidelines for the last 20 months.

Thompson’s support of the Warriors dates back to well before her playing days- making her role at the club even more special.

“I’ve been a season ticket-holder for as long as I can remember,” she said.

“I’ve always been a massive Wigan fan.

“It’s in the blood and it’s in the family- it is infectious.

“To get to represent the club and wear the shirt has always been a massive honour.

“To captain the team is something that makes me mega proud.

“I’ve not been able to do it too much due to injury, so I’m really excited to get back out there and lead from the front.

“The girls were constantly building last year and getting better each week.

“We’ve brought in some talented players, so it’s about building them up- just to see where they can go.

“There’s no reason why we can’t compete with the top teams.”

The Warriors got their season underway with a 22-22 draw against Warrington Wolves at Victoria Park last month.

Alongside their Super League commitments, Kris Ratcliffe’s have also started their Challenge Cup campaign- which will continue to be their main focus across the next few weeks.

They overcame Cardiff Demons with a 38-20 victory in their opening game of the group stages, with fixtures against Featherstone Rovers (May 7) and Salford Red Devils (May 21) still to come.

The final of this year’s Women’s Challenge Cup will be an extra special occasion.

The match will form part of a triple-header alongside the conclusion of the men’s competition and the 1895 Cup.

“Everyone dreams of playing at Wembley,” Thompson added.

“To have the Women’s Challenge Cup there is massive for the game.

“If we could get onto that stage, to represent Wigan would be a dream come true.

“We can do it, we can win, but we’ve just got to believe in ourselves.

“That’s what dreams are made of.”