England Rugby League icon Jodie Cunningham joined Sue Anstiss on the latest season of The Game Changers podcast. 

The 30-year-old is one of the sport’s most recognisable stars and has long been a vocal advocate for women’s sport and gender equality. 

Cunningham has represented England at two World Cups and was named the Woman of Steel for her exceptional form during St Helens’ treble-winning campaign last year. 

The Saints star balances her playing career alongside working as the national women and girls development manager for the Rugby Football League and as an ambassador for the Rugby League World Cup. 

Speaking to Anstiss, Cuningham opened up on how she first got involved in the sport, what her new job entails and why rugby league will always be a part of her life. 

Cunningham made her international debut back in 2009, having first been selected to play for England when she was still in sixth form. 

The Warrington-born star has enjoyed plenty of memorable moments while playing for her country, but the 2017 World Cup is something that sticks out in her mind. 

An ACL injury had threatened to make her miss the tournament and doctors had advised her to consider surgery. However, despite being given just a five percent chance of recovering, Cunningham miraculously made the World Cup squad and was appointed vice-captain. 

“I decided to rehab without an operation and with lots of support and with my knee heavily strapped,” she revealed. “I really luckily managed to get myself fit enough and then also give the coaches enough confidence that I was worth taking, even despite the injury. 

“In the end, I managed to go to that World Cup, which was a dream come true because of how far away the opportunity felt just a few months earlier.” 

Though England were ultimately thrashed by New Zealand in the semi-final, Cunningham still remembers the feeling of stepping onto the field in the first game against Papua New Guinea. 

“Yeah, it was a crazy year and England didn't do the best in that World Cup, but for me personally, just getting there and being able to get through all the games and my knee holding up was amazing. It was a bit of a crazy, whirlwind year, but I think that changed me and shaped me in lots of ways.” 

Cunningham’s journey to becoming an England superstar began when she was just eight years old. Her father took her to Warrington Wolves’ old ground - the Wilderspool Stadium, although her love for the sport was not immediate. 

“I'm from Warrington, which is a massive rugby league town –– Warrington Wolves being the professional team. But it had never been anything that was on my radar really. I didn't watch rugby league. I didn't play it at all as a young girl, but with it being so prominent in Warrington my dad said ‘you know, I'll take you down to a game.’

“I just remember having no clue what was going on and paying no attention. I think it was raining and it was freezing. And I was like, ‘dad never take me to a rugby game ever again,’ which he does remind me of on a regular basis now!” 

It wasn’t until an opportune moment at secondary school arose a few years later that Cunningham next considered the possibility of playing rugby. 

Best friend and fellow England teammate Emily Rudge played the game already but had reached the age where she was no longer permitted to play in the boys' team. 

Rudge set up a girls' team that Cunningham joined and the rest is history. 

“I managed to convince myself to play, despite being quite terrified of not being good enough or getting hurt or whatever else might come along with trying a new sport. But I went down to the first training session and absolutely loved it."

I think after playing my first game, I just knew it was like a switch had flicked and I knew this was the sport for me. I wanted to fully commit all my time to it and play it as much as I possibly could. 

Rugby league, in general, continues to suffer from a lack of funding at the moment, which stems from rugby union being regarded as the more “dominant” code. Yet, the women’s game is continuing to grow at some pace and Cunningham doesn’t believe it’s bound to the same code divide as the men are. 

“It can be frustrating,” she admitted. "I think it's difficult because when you come from an area where rugby league is massive, like Warrington, St Helens and other big rugby league towns like Castleford and Wakefield –– rugby league is the centre of the universe. But you don't realise that actually if you look at it nationally, it's maybe not as well known.

“However, women’s rugby league is growing in profile. There’s no exposure to rugby union being the dominant sport, it’s just rugby.

“We can have a seat at the table and we can get awareness and a profile out there in a way that the men possibly can't because there's such a long history of rugby union being the dominant sport in terms of the rugby code. So it allows us more opportunities to collaborate and work together.” 

According to Cunningham, once you join the rugby league community, you’re in it for good and are officially part of the family. The St Helens star had long been told not to immerse herself too much in the sport but as the new RFU national women and girls development manager, it’s now her full-time job. 

“No matter what I have to do, I'll find a way of making it happen because I just want to make sure that young girls have the opportunity to do what I've done and a million times more because the potential is huge for the growth of this game.

“I just know that women and girls can contribute to the growth of rugby league as a whole, so I’m really passionate about it. Can I do my absolute best alongside hopefully getting picked for the World Cup this year? Balancing the two is not going to be easy but it’s absolutely something that I'll live and breathe, so hopefully, I can make a success out of it.”

Yet, irrespective of whether it’s playing or promoting the game, Cunningham’s undying love for rugby league is eternal and it’s something that will always be a part of her. 

“It's a cliche, isn't it. But if you love what you do, then you'll never work a day in your life. And it genuinely does feel like that. I would do all this for free. I just wish I had two of me or more days in the week to get it done, but I genuinely would do it for free because I love it that much and I’m really passionate about it.”