Leeds Rhinos' Caitlin Beevers among BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year nominations

Leeds Rhinos and England women’s rugby league player Caitlin Beevers has been shortlisted for the BBC's Young Sports Personality of the Year.

The teenage full-back, who is also a Rugby Football League match referee, is one of 10 youngsters from a variety of sports to be shortlisted for the prestigious prize.

The nomination comes at the end of a year in which Beevers helped Rhinos to a Challenge Cup and Super League double, with last month's Grand Final victory over Castleford Tigers coming on her 18th birthday in a match broadcast live on Sky.

She also played for England in the Women’s World Cup 9s in Sydney and has just returned from the national side's tour of Papua New Guinea. Beevers, who hails from Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, said: “I'm obviously really happy and really honoured to have been shortlisted for the award.

“It has been a massive year for me in terms of refereeing and playing for Leeds and England. “I’ve been playing since I was six years old and the only people I ever had to look up to were the men on television.

“As a female, that’s just not the same, but it’s now easier for young women to do that and I am delighted to be a part of this new generation.”

Beevers, who made her debut as a referee in the National Conference this year, joined Leeds from Dewsbury Moor for the Rhinos' debut season in 2018, scoring 17 tries in 14 appearances. She touched down 11 times in 19 games this year, including a try in the Challenge Cup final defeat of Castleford.

The other nine nominees for the award are cyclist Charlie Aldridge, Sky Brown (skateboarding), Caroline Dubois (boxing), Josh Hill (golf), Bethany Paull (artistic gymnastics), Huddersfield's Aaliyah Powell (taekwondo), Ottlie Robinson-Shaw (kayaking), Toni Shaw (para-swimming) and Maisie Summers-Newton (para-swimming).

Past winners of the award include former Formula One world champion Jenson Button, ex-Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, diving's Tom Daley and footballer Wayne Rooney. The winner will be announced at the BBC Radio 1 teen awards and will attend the Sports Personality of the Year show in Aberdeen on December 15.