Derek Hardman and Craig Richards to Coach the Saints in 2025

The Saints have confirmed that Derek Hardman and Craigh Richards have been appointed as joint Head Coaches for the 2025 Betfred Women's Super League season.

It is two exciting appointments for the Saints Women ahead of the 2025 rugby league season; with the return of Hardman who is the current England Women’s Assistant Coach and led the Red V to a historic treble in 2021, and Richards who is a former England Women’s Head Coach and previously served St Helens Women in a Head of Rugby role too.

St.Helens R.F.C. is thrilled to confirm that Derek Hardman and Craig Richards have been appointed as joint Head Coaches of our Women’s team for 2025.

Full story on https://t.co/6IlsZyXexa ?#COYS | @saints1890women

— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) October 18, 2024

Both men have been involved with the Club for over a decade and now succeed Matty Smith who departs the Club following two seasons as our Women’s Head Coach.

Hardman during his previous spell as Women’s Head Coach from 2019 to 2022 guided Saints to trophy success with two Challenge Cups, a League Leaders’ Shield, and a Betfred Women’s Super League title.

During his time at St Helens Hardman has also been involved with our youth development programmes, and in the last two seasons has led our Reserves as Head Coach taking the team to back-to-back Grand Finals, which included securing the 2024 Reserves Championship title with a win over Wigan Warriors in September.

As England Women’s Head Coach, Richards oversaw the team that broke new ground with a tour of Papua New Guinea, competed in the World Nines competition, and then participated in the Rugby League World Cup in 2022.

In his Club duties, Richards has served in the development of both young men and women players as Coaching Systems & Education Manager, whilst also working as Reserves Assistant Coach. Craig has also worked closely with our region’s community clubs too, as Saints continue to be a hub for local coaching and player development.

Derek Hardman is thrilled to be back working with the Saints Women’s team and said: “I am very excited, it’s a wonderful challenge and I’m glad to be back. I made memories for life previously, but they are memories, and we are here to make even more moving forward because we want to be just as successful. However, we will take one step at a time, and one game at a time."

Speaking about working with Craig, Derek is delighted to be alongside someone whom he greatly respects:

“Craig's been such a great person for me, and I would have never got into the women's game if it wasn't for him and the way he's developed me. To work with him this year moving forward is the icing on the cake.”

On what Hardman wants to achieve in his new role, he wishes to play his part in young Saints stars performing well and shining:

“This town is immensely proud of the rugby club, and we are all proud to represent it. I feel very privileged every time I put wear the badge, it excites me. It is important that we carry that with whoever we come into contact with.

“My personal goal is to make sure that we create an environment where we can bring youth through our system, we have got a really exciting young group coming through, and my goal is to make sure I can make them the best version of themselves.”

Excited to be part of the next chapter for St.Helens Women, Craig Richards told saintsrlfc.com: “It’s great to be back, I’ve worked with the girls for so many years before, I was missing them! I think it’s great to come into a role I’ll where I think I can make a big impact.”

Ready and eager to get to work alongside Hardman, Richards shares how they both have the same beliefs in how they will approach their roles.

“Derek and I bounce off each other very well, we’re very similar and spend a lot of time together in the way we want the game to be played, and how we want players to be coached.

“The things we always talk about are long-term success goals within a squad, but at the same time, we want to win in the short-term. A big thing for us will be bringing through some of the younger players and making sure the success continues; we have some fantastic young players and fantastic coaches doing a great job with them.

“Women's rugby league is growing year on year, and next year will be the same, it will be more competitive, and we want to be at the forefront.”