THREE 2023 Betfred Super League competitions have been officially launched in Manchester today.

For the first time, the season launch at the Museum of Science and Industry incorporated the Women’s and Wheelchair Super Leagues – building on the success and inclusion of last autumn’s Rugby League World Cup, and staged a drop kick away from Manchester Central, the venue for England’s thrilling victory in the Wheelchair tournament.

To reinforce that message, Sky Sports – beginning their 28th season as broadcast partners of the Super League – revealed details of extended coverage of the Betfred Women’s Super League competition in 2023, as well as confirming their commitment to the Wheelchair Grand Final.

It will be the third year that Sky Sports have covered the Wheelchair Super League Grand Final, with Leeds Rhinos winning the title for the first time in 2021 before they were beaten by Halifax Panthers in Manchester last year – and the Rhinos and Panthers will again start as favourites to contest the Grand Final in 2023, when the Wheelchair season kicks off in April.

Three matches from the regular Betfred Women’s Super League season have been selected for live coverage, featuring the three teams who contested last year’s major finals – champions Leeds Rhinos, Challenge Cup holders St Helens, and the League Leaders’ Shield winners York, who will be known as York Valkyrie from 2023.

All three will be staged as double headers – starting with the BWSL season opener on Easter Sunday, when the Rhinos take on the Valkyrie at Headingley, before Rohan Smith’s men’s team face Huddersfield Giants in a Betfred Super League clash.

That is followed by a Leeds v Saints double header on May 26, also at Headingley, before Saints host York at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Friday July 28.

As last year, Sky will also cover the Play-Offs and the BWSL Grand Final, which will be played on the weekend of October 7-8 – the week before the Men’s Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford.

June Fairhurst, Senior Producer, Sky Sports, said: “It’s great to see both the Women’s and Wheelchair Super League competitions included at the season launch and it is testament to the progress the sport is seeing.

“At Sky Sports we look forward to showcasing more of the best that the sport has to offer in both Women’s and Wheelchair Super League, and hope more people will be inspired to pick up a ball by our coverage of these competitions.”

Sky Sports will kick off their extensive and exclusive Super League coverage in 2023 when Warrington Wolves host Leeds Rhinos in the season opener at the Halliwell Jones Stadium next Thursday (February 16) – the first of 66 live matches.

It will be followed by a local derby between newly-promoted Leigh Leopards and Salford Devils on Friday February 17, and a bumper opening weekend of coverage concludes with the World Club Challenge between St Helens and Penrith Panthers in Sydney on Saturday February 18.