St Helens captain Jodie Cunningham makes history as she wins Rugby League Writers award

England international Jodie Cunningham has made history after becoming the first female recipient of the Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association’s merit award.

Cunningham, the St Helens captain who will be a key figure for England when the Women’s World Cup kicks off this week, has received the Arthur Brooks Trophy, which was first awarded in 1982 to recognise outstanding contributions to rugby league.

Cunningham, who is an official ambassador of the World Cup and the RFL’s national women’s and girls’ development officer, was presented with the trophy by Clare Balding CBE, the president of the Rugby Football League.

Trevor Hunt, chairperson of the RLWBA, said: “Jodie has been a trailblazer and a fantastic ambassador for women’s rugby league on and off the field.

“It’s amazing to think that she played in her first World Cup as a student in 2013 and since then her journey in rugby league has reflected the growing profile of the women’s game.

“Throughout her career, Jodie has been a brilliant ambassador for rugby league in general, and women’s rugby league in particular.”

Previous winners of the merit award – which is named after the former Daily Mirror journalist Arthur Brooks – have included players John Holmes, Roger Millward, Mal Meninga, Shaun Edwards and Steve Prescott, as well as a wide range of other personalities such as Bernard Guasch, the Catalans Dragons president who was the 2021 winner.