England Women’s captain Jodie Cunningham has questioned the narrative around their Las Vegas game with Australia’s Jillaroos, highlighting the differences in skill and investment between the sides.
England were on the end of a 90-4 thrashing to the Jillaroos just over a week ago and the captain and St Helens player joined Sky Sports to discuss her post-match feelings.
Cunningham was part of the punditry team during Thursday night’s game between Hull FC and Leigh Leopards and host Brian Carney asked her to reflect on the game and the entire Vegas experience.
She said: “I think most people probably saw the scoreline not necessarily the game and it’s been a tough week for us as the England team with a really heavy defeat to the Jillaroos, to the world champions.
“We went out there with all intent to give everything we’ve got and hopefully make it a competitive test and we didn’t do that.
“There’s nobody hurting any less than us but the Jillaroos are a professional outfit, they play that way, the speed of execution of skill is just outstanding from them.
“We started well and then as soon as we conceded, it was really tough to claw back and it’s something we’re going to have to really analyse.”
When asked about how to close that gap between England and Australia, the England captain said it’s not a quick and easy fix.
She added: “The easy answer is money and investment. Look, we’re a sport that doesn’t have a lot of that.
“The Jillaroos, we’re talking a $1.25 million salary cap for their NRLW sides, it’s astronomical the difference between the two and that was evident in the game so we have to be smarter with what we do.
“Our game’s getting there, the competition structure, there’s been questions asked about that.
“I look at the pathways, I look at the under 16s, I look at the academy sides and the talent that is in those now, the level of competition and coaching that they get compared to what we had at that age, it’s getting there but time will take this.
“Maybe we need to be a little bit smarter about the narrative when we play these big games.”
Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin agreed with the England Women’s captain and questioned the way it’s been promoted compared to the realities of it.
Wilkin said: “I just think that what we’ve done is package that women’s rugby league in this country to appear a certain way, to appear elite, to appear more professional than actually what it is.
“That difference was exposed, it was a reality check. I think we all want women’s sports to succeed but against the Jillaroos with all that investment, it was chalk and cheese.”
However, Carney then asked how Cunningham felt getting women’s rugby league onto a global stage and if the team still enjoyed the experience.
Cunningham finished: “Our girls embraced the opportunity and we’ve been quite heavily criticised for that, but it was about going out there and making sure that we enjoyed all the hard work that had been out in.
“That was women’s rugby league on the big stage in Vegas and we went out there to enjoy the experience and we did. Unfortunately, the result wasn’t the way but we brought a lot of excitement and energy.
“It felt like that’s what rugby league can be when it’s promoted and marketed right. Everywhere you walked, you saw rugby shirts all over Las Vegas.
“It was a brilliant moment for rugby league, not for us personally in terms of our result but as a rugby league fan out in Vegas, it was absolutely outstanding.”
The WSL season starts on the 16th May with round one’s fixtures below:
Wigan Warriors v York Valkyrie (Friday 16th May)
St Helens v Leeds Rhinos (Saturday 17th May)
Warrington Wolves v Huddersfield (Sunday 18th May)
Leigh Leopards v Barrow Raiders (Sunday 18th May)
