Jodie Cunningham Declares Women’s Rugby League Vastly Improved

Jodie Cunningham, who made her international debut for England in 2009, has declared that women’s rugby league is “by a million miles” in its best condition ever. This statement comes as England prepares to play Wales at Headingley on Saturday, 2 November, as part of the ABK International Series double header. The event will take place at AMT Headingley, Leeds. The women’s match, England v Wales, is scheduled for a 12:00 GMT kick-off, with live coverage available on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, and text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. Following this, the men’s match between England and Samoa will kick off at 14:30 GMT, broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with live radio and text commentary also accessible via the BBC Sport website and app. Stuart Barrow’s team will compete against Wales at 12:00 GMT in Leeds, preceding England’s men’s second Test match against Samoa. The women’s team previously secured a 60-0 victory in this fixture approximately 12 months prior. This upcoming match is considered crucial preparation for the Lionesses, who are commencing their build-up to a distinctive opportunity to display the British game against Australia in Las Vegas next March. Captain Cunningham, 32, expresses her conviction that the current opportunities and advancements within the women’s game stand in significant contrast to the conditions present at the time of her international debut in 2009. She informed BBC Sport, “If you compare what we get now, what it looks like, the product on the field from any of the time I’ve been in the squad, the progress is just phenomenal.” Cunningham further stated, “”It is [the best it’s ever been] by a million miles. “People say: ‘You are a generation too early and think of what you are going to miss out on.’ I feel really grateful and appreciate the development year on year because I’ve seen what it was like when nobody cared, we got no funding and kits didn’t fit and there were no young girls in the crowd because nobody knew about it.”” Cunningham identifies the establishment of the Women’s Super League in 2017 as a significant pivotal moment. Subsequently, England has hosted a World Cup. Concurrently, renewed demands for full professional status for elite female players have led to multiple clubs, such as Leeds Rhinos, York Valkyrie, and St Helens, implementing player payments during a period marked by rising attendances. Furthermore, by the conclusion of the next term, it will become mandatory for all Super League teams to establish an Academy Under-19s set-up, thereby creating an additional pathway for promising young talents to develop. Hollie-Mae Dodd became the first English player to sign with an NRLW club. The loose forward’s primary immediate objective is to secure her spot for the journey to the United States to compete against the world champions. Cunningham further stated, “”We have to make sure we get through the game, perform and get a win but I think people have an eye on the Vegas game.”” She continued, “”This is the last chance you’re going to get to prove you should be on the plane and the competition for places now is so much higher than it’s ever been. “There are names that have been left out that have been stalwarts of the team and I have no doubt will be back at some point. You look at the halves in Isabel Rowe and Jenna Foubister and what they can do is incredible. Erin Stott from St Helens has been brilliant all year and Amelia Brown has scored some incredible tries, again an exciting talent.”” The Super League talent representing England against Wales will be bolstered by the inclusion of Hollie-Mae Dodd, the Canberra Raiders second row, who will be playing for the first time since her 2023 transfer to the Women’s NRL from York. Cunningham added, “”Getting Hollie back in the squad is massive. “She is such a great young talent and she knows what it takes to compete against the best in the world because she does it on a weekly basis at club level. She understands the standards and where things need to be and will help raise them.”” Both Georgia Roche and Fran Goldthorp possess experience playing in the NRLW. Georgia Roche and Fran Goldthorp are prominent players who have been excluded from recent squads. Roche, a stand-off for Newcastle Knights, is not available due to her commitments in Australia. Meanwhile, full-back Goldthorp, who also has NRLW experience, has transitioned codes to return to the Premiership Women’s team Loughborough Lightning. Cunningham further stated, “”Stuart Barrow wanted to look at the young girls because it’s not just about playing a one-off test – we are trying to win a World Cup and see what we need.”” She continued, “”With Georgia not being back, it gives him the chance to play some of the young girls but if there was a strong demand for, say, a match against Australia, I’m sure we’d make that happen.”” Concurrently, Goldthorp’s return to rugby union coincides with the Women’s World Cup being hosted in England in 2025. Cunningham proceeded to say, “”Fran always spoke about wanting to be a dual-code international and it was something she said early on – even in the 2022 World Cup she talked about it.”” She added, “”I’m not surprised she wants to test herself back in union and try to make her international debut for the Roses, which she is more than capable of doing with her talent.“If Fran makes that World Cup squad next year, we will fully back her and hopefully she may tick that box off and come back to us. There is always a chance with Fran because she always follows her heart and I believe her heart is with league but she has some ambitions that she wants to fulfil.””