Netherlands women's national rugby league team
| Team information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governing body | Netherlands Rugby League Bond | |||||
| Region | Europe | |||||
| Head coach | Matt Rigby | |||||
| Captain | Vera van der Zwan | |||||
| Top try-scorer | Nicole Kennedy (8) | |||||
| Top point-scorer | Nicole Kennedy (32) | |||||
| IRL ranking | 15 2 (17 November 2025)[1] | |||||
| Team results | ||||||
| First game | ||||||
| Greece 0 – 14 Netherlands (9 December 2023) | ||||||
| Biggest win | ||||||
| Italy 6 – 56 Netherlands (27 April 2024) | ||||||
| Biggest defeat | ||||||
| Netherlands 6 – 42 Ireland (4 October 2025) | ||||||
The Netherlands women's national rugby league team represents the Netherlands in women's rugby league. The team's first international was a 14–0 victory in a friendly against Greece on 9 December 2023.[2] On this evening the "A" team played a friendly match against Greece "A".
Head to head records
| Opponent | FM | MR | M | W | D | L | Win% | PF | PA | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | 2023 | 2025 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | 48 | 0 | 100.00% |
| Italy | 2024 | 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | 56 | 6 | 90.32% |
| Ireland | 2024 | 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00% | 18 | 58 | 23.68% |
| Wales | 2024 | 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 6 | 48 | 11.11% |
| Totals | 2023 | 2025 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 50.00% | 128 | 112 | 53.33% |
Notes:
- Table last updated 14 December 2025.
- Share is the portion of "For" points compared to the sum of "For" and "Against" points.
Inaugural squad
The following 19-player squad was named to play Greece on 9 December 2023:[3][4]
- 1. Nicole Kennedy
- 2. Danique Nikkels
- 3. Lisa Berding (VC)
- 4. Anniek Nauta
- 5. Hannah Van Beukering
- 6. Hiske Blom
- 7. Rixt Aerts
- 8. Sela Steenkist
- 9. Vera van der Zwan (C)
- 10. Lorraine Voorbach
- 11. Clara Terlouw
- 12. Sylvie Moelee
- 13. Linneke Gevers
- 14. Stephanie Van Diepen
- 15. Lotte Westerlaken
- 16. Kyra Elzinga
- 17. Dominique Velema
- 18. Dunja Witmond
- 19. Iris Hansman
Current squad
The following squad was named to play Greece on 13 December 2025.[5] The selected team was posted of social media on the morning of the match.[6]
Tallies in the table include the match played on 13 December 2025.
| J# | Position | Player | Club | Debut | Caps | T | G | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fullback, Stand-off | Hiske Blom | Rochdale Hornets | 2023 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| 2 | Wing | Hannah van Beukering | Unattached | 2023 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 3 | Centre | Michelle Jurgens | Unattached | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Centre, Fullback | Nicole Kennedy | London Broncos | 2023 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 32 |
| 5 | Wing, Centre | Monischa Hieroms | Unattached | 2024 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Stand-off, Hooker | Vera Van Der Zwan | Rochdale Hornets | 2023 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | Scrum-half | Rixt Aerts | Unattached | 2023 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Prop | Eva Peroti | Rochdale Hornets | 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Hooker | Merel van den Bosch | Unattached | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Prop | Fiona Kalf | Unattached | 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Second-row, Loose forward | Lisa Berding | Rochdale Hornets | 2023 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 18 |
| 12 | Second-row, Wing | Sydney Kalf | Unattached | 2025 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 13 | Loose forward | Kaylee Geerlings | Rochdale Hornets | 2024 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 18 |
| 14 | Second-row | Lisanne van het Schip | Unattached | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | interchange | Iris Hansman | Unattached | 2024 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Second-row | Ymke Keppel | Unattached | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | interchange | Jiske van Velzen | Unattached | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | — | Elien de Graaf | Unattached | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | interchange | Eline Zomer | Unattached | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Notes:
- Lisanne van het Schip and Ymke Keppel previously played for the Netherlands against the Royal Air Force in October 2024.[7]
Heritage numbers
If played a match for the Dutch National Team they're assigned a heritage number. The following 34 players have an official assigned legacy number:
- 1. Stephanie Van Diepen
- 2. Lisa Berding
- 3. Clara Terlouw
- 4. Dana Burik
- 5. Lotte Westerlaken
- 6. Johanna van Kieft
- 7. Hiske Blom
- 8. Fenne van Putten
- 9. Vera van der Zwan
- 10. Dominique Velema
- 11. Senta Sailino
- 12. Iris Hansman
- 13. Jessica Kool
- 14. Nicole Kennedy
- 15. Chantal Meeldijk
- 16. Ai-Ling Schoolderman
- 17. Ellinor de Bever
- 18. Ymke Keppel
- 19. Sverre Verheul
- 20. Dunja Witmond
- 21. Hannah Van Beukering
- 22. Lorraine Voorbach
- 23. Danique Nikkels
- 24. Maura Mevis
- 25. Linneke Gevers
- 26. Fleur Michiels
- 27. Tessa van Zanten
- 28. Sylvie Moelee
- 29. Sela Steenkist
- 30. Rixt Aerts
- 31. Kyra Elzinga
- 32. Ophelie Thijm
- 34. Chitra van den Boom
- 35. Paige Schouw
- 36. Claire Kennedy
- 37. Monischa Hieroms
Results
Full internationals
| Date | Opponent | Score | Tournament | Venue | Video | Report(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec 2023 | Greece | 14–0 | Test Match | Municipal Stadium Dimitris Nikolaidis, Athens | [8] | [2][9] |
| 27 Apr 2024 | Italy | 56–6 | World Cup Qualifier (Preliminarily Playoff) |
Maurizio Quaggia Stadium, Mogliano Veneto | [10] | [11] |
| 19 May 2024 | Ireland | 12–16 | World Cup Qualifier (European Group A) |
Energia Park, Dublin | [12] | [13] |
| 22 Jun 2024 | Wales | 6–48 | Rugby Club Waterland, Purmerend | [14] | [15] | |
| 4 Oct 2025 | Ireland | 6–42 | Test Match | Rugby Club The Bassetts. Sassenheim | [16] | [17] |
| 13 Dec 2025 | Greece | 34–0 | Test Match | Rugby Club Sparta, Rotterdam | — | [18] |
Other matches
| Date | Opponent | Score | Tournament | Venue | Video | Report(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Oct 2024 | Royal Air Force | 48–8 | Invitational | NRCA Stadium, Amsterdam | [19] | [20] |
| 08 Oct 2024 | Royal Air Force | 56–0 | Invitational | British School, Voorschoten | [21] |
References
- ^ "IRL World Rankings: Women". International Rugby League. 17 November 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Netherlands women to make international debut in Greece". International Rugby League. 8 December 2023. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023.
- ^ "NRLB - Netherlands Women = 19 Man Squad - Lionesses". facebook. Nederlandse Rugby League Bond. 10 Dec 2023. Retrieved 14 Dec 2025.
- ^ "Instagram".
- ^ "Netherlands and Greece women name squads for last rugby league international of the year". European Rugby League. 11 Dec 2025. Retrieved 12 Dec 2025.
- ^ "Nederland vs Griekenland - Starting XIII". facebook. Nederlandse Rugby League Bond. 13 Dec 2025. Retrieved 14 Dec 2025.
- ^ "Starting XIII - NRLB v Royal Air Force rugby league". facebook. Nederlandse Rugby League Bond. 9 Oct 2024. Retrieved 12 Dec 2025.
- ^ Rugby Greece was live. | By Rugby Greece | Facebook, retrieved 2023-12-14
- ^ "Greece 0 v 14 Netherlands - Match report". European Rugby League. 9 Dec 2023. Retrieved 4 Apr 2024.
- ^ "IRL 2024 /// Italy - Netherlands". facebook. European Rugby League. 27 Apr 2024. Retrieved 28 Apr 2024.
- ^ "Italy 6 v 56 Netherlands - Match report". European Rugby League. 27 Apr 2024. Retrieved 28 Apr 2024.
- ^ "Ireland v The Netherlands Women's World Cup Qualifier". YouTube. Steve Hogan. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "Ireland 16 v 12 Netherlands - Match report". European Rugby League. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "NETHERLANDS v CYMRU - Saturday 22nd June - World Cup Qualifier". YouTube. Wales Rugby League. 22 Jun 2024. Retrieved 23 Jun 2024.
- ^ "We've Done It – Wales Qualify for the Women's World Cup Finals". Wales Rugby League. 22 Jun 2024. Retrieved 23 Jun 2024.
- ^ "Netherlands vs Ireland - European Rugby League Women". YouTube. Nederlandse Rugby League Bond. 4 Oct 2025. Retrieved 4 Oct 2025.
- ^ "Netherlands 6 v 42 Ireland - Match Report". European Rugby League. 4 October 2025. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
- ^ "Senior International Matches (Women) - Netherlands 34 v 0 Greece". International Rugby League. 13 Dec 2025. Retrieved 14 Dec 2025.
- ^ "Netherlands Rugby League Doubleheader | Men's vs EU Combined & Women's vs British Royal Air Force". Youtube. FabCreator. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "NRLB v Royal Air Force rugby league - 48-8 - Full Time Score". facebook. Nederlandse Rugby League Bond. 5 Oct 2024. Retrieved 14 Dec 2025.
- ^ "NRLB v Royal Air Force rugby league - 56-0 - Full Time Score". facebook. Nederlandse Rugby League Bond. 9 Oct 2024. Retrieved 14 Dec 2025.