Jodie Cunningham (born 5 December 1991) is an English rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback or loose forward at international level for England and domestically for St Helens in the Women's Super League.
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 5 December 1991 Warrington, Cheshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Fullback, Loose forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 11 March 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cunningham started paying rugby while a pupil at Cardinal Newman Catholic High School, Warrington and was selected to play for England while still in the sixth-form and playing for Warrington Ladies RC.[3][4] In 2011, Cunningham was in the Warrington team that won the Championship Final of the Women's Rugby League Conference.[5]
While a student at Leeds University,[6] Cunningham played in the 2013 Women's Rugby League World Cup and joined Thatto Heath Crusaders and was a member of the team that won the Challenge Cup in four successive seasons from 2013 to 2016.[7][8]
Cunningham was vice-captain of the England team in the 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup and in March 2018 Cunningham became a member of the newly-formed St Helens women's team, though she missed most of the 2018 season due to rehabilitation after surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered during the 2017 season.[9][10]
For the 2019 season, Cunningham was appointed co-captain of the St Helens side alongside Tara Jones[7] With the 2020 season cancelled, 2021 saw Cunningham appointed captain of the team and she led the side to the first treble since the creation of the Women's Super League.[11] Cunningham was also named 2021 Woman of Steel.[12]
Cunningham worked as community engagement lead for the organisers of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup as well as being an ambassador for the women's tournament.[13]
Cunningham was appointed as the RFL's National Women’s and Girls’ Development Manager in November 2021.[14] In January 2024 she left that post to take up a new post with St Helens as head of women’s pathways and performance.[15]
2022 saw St Helens retain the Challenge Cup with Cunningham scoring a try in the final against Leeds Rhinos.[16] In the Super League Cunningham captained St Helens to second place in the league but the team were unable to repeat their 2021 successes losing in the play-off semi-final to eventual Grand Final winners Leeds.[17]
In April 2023, Cunningham was named as captain of the England team, succeeding St Helens teammate Emily Rudge.[18]