Jodie Cunningham and Emily Rudge announce Rugby League retirement

St Helens and England Women internationals Jodie Cunningham and Emily Rudge have today announced they will retire from Rugby League at the conclusion of the 2026 season.

Cunningham made her England debut against France in 2009, scoring the first of her 10 international tries. She has since gone on to become the all-time England Women cap holder earning 34 caps for her country and has represented England at three Rugby League World Cups in 2013, 2017 and most recently in 2022.

The 34-year-old is also set to lead England later this year as the squad travels to Australia for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.

At domestic level, Cunningham captained St Helens to a memorable treble in 2021 and became the first women’s captain to lift the Challenge Cup trophy at Wembley Stadium in 2023.

Rudge made her England Women debut during the 2008 Rugby League World Cup against Australia and went on to establish herself as a key figure on the international stage, also featuring in the 2013 and 2017 Rugby League World Cups.

The back-rower was named England captain in 2019 ahead of the two-match tour of Papua New Guinea, where she made headlines by becoming the first England Women player to score four tries in a single match in Goroka, before adding another try a week later in Port Moresby.

The 34-year-old also captained England against Wales and France on two occasions each prior to the 2022 Rugby League World Cup on home soil, which concluded with a semi-final defeat to New Zealand at York’s LNER Community Stadium.

Together, Cunningham and Rudge have played pivotal roles in the growth and success of the women’s game, both domestically and internationally, inspiring the next generation of players through their leadership, longevity and achievements at the highest level.

England Women Rugby League Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, said:

“Emily Rudge has been one of the defining figures of this generation of England Rugby League players. What she has given to the sport over the course of her career goes far beyond appearances, trophies or statistics. She has represented everything you want a player in your team to stand for — professionalism, toughness and an unwavering commitment to her team-mates.

“When people speak about the growth of the women’s game in this country, Emily’s name will always be part of that conversation. She has inspired young girls to believe there is a pathway for them in rugby league, and she has helped raise standards across the international and domestic game through the way she trained, competed and carried herself since she earned her first international cap back in 2008.

“Jodie Cunningham’s retirement marks the end of an era not just for England Rugby League, but for the women’s game as a whole. Very few players leave a legacy as significant as hers. She has been one of the driving forces behind the growth and visibility of women’s rugby league in this country, and she deserves enormous credit for everything she has achieved throughout her career.

“She’s been a leader in every environment she’s walked into. Whether she was captain or not, players naturally looked towards her because she set the tone. She never asked for special treatment, never wanted the spotlight on herself, but her actions demanded respect. Those are the people who leave the biggest mark on a sport.

“They should both be incredibly proud of the legacy they will leave behind. The women’s game is in a stronger position because of players like Emily Rudge and Jodie Cunnigham. The standards young athletes now aspire to were shaped by pioneers who invested years of hard work into building respect for the international programme, and both Emily and Jodie have been at the heart of that journey.”