By day, Jodie Cunningham is difficult at work inspiring another generation of players in her ambassador role.
But her spare time is dedicated to rugby league as well, together with Cunningham having to match training and playing as full-back for St Helens in the Women’s Super League (WSL) around her day-job.
It is a situation familiar to nearly all of her team-mates and Saints’ competitions in the WSL, which for now, at least remains an amateur competition.
Being employed within the game usually means the England international has of the important work, something that Cunningham knows the significance for anybody trying to juggle sporting and work commitments.
“One of the girls who are balancing a full-time job, it is possible to match the hours in,” Cunningham told Sky Sports.
“It is just with coaching you might need to put last-minute coaching sessions in or you may need physio appointments, therefore it’s just getting that flexibility out of your employer so you can come out of work just a tiny bit later or sooner.
“From an individual perspective, the World Cup are fantastic and support me in everything I do, and as the game is growing, becoming more popular and people are more conscious of it, I think employers will also be seeing exactly what a value there is in using one of the employees representing a Women’s Super League staff and playing at international level.
“Everything is helping to develop that understanding and increase the standards.”
Preparations right now are currently focusing on this particular Sunday’s play-off semi-finals, at which Saints carry on Leeds Rhinos for the right to face either Castleford Tigers or champions Wigan Warriors in the WSL Grand Final on Friday, October 11.
It’s the next year St Helens have created the top ten, finishing third in the regular year in 2018 and following that up by completing just 1 point behind League Leaders’ Shield winners Castleford – finish the Tigers’ unbeaten record with a 20-14 win final Sunday at the process.
Having linked up with Cunningham’s former team Thatto Heath to help get the group off the ground for the WSL season, Saints have quickly integrated the team in their set up – like holding a new joint training session using the guys and women’s teams.
It is a source of pride for Cunningham and her team-mates they step out onto the field as 35, to be pulling on the top of one of rugby league clubs.
“It was a new team they had to incorporate into the present set-up, but it’s been brilliant,” Cunningham said.
“[Head coach] Derek Hardman was involved at Saints for a number of years in different roles, so that helped that he was already part of their club.
“This season I feel as though they have taken us under their wing and they are actually getting behind us in terms of marketing and media, and we really do dropped a portion of this club.
“it is a distinctive club and the girls have as much pride when they put that shirt and are connected with all the St Helens brand. It’s been amazing and I can only imagine it will grow and get even better.”
This calendar year, after enhancing their league placing, St Helens’ goal is to get through to the Grand Final after going down 10-6 to fierce rivals Wigan from the semis at 2018.
If they conquer Women’s Challenge Cup champions Leeds on Sunday, Saints will have a final to look forward to as this year match – which is live on Sky Sports – has been played in the Totally Wicked Arena.
“It is even more strain on us to arrive, but it is fantastic,” Cunningham said. “If we do manage to get to this Grand Final, it’d be good to do it on our home floor and ideally with a lot of Saints fans there.
But we’re trying to not think about that too much. There is pressure on us on ourselves as gamers , from the club since we fell and felt we had a fantastic enough squad to get to the closing.
“Everything is just going into Sunday’s match and making sure we do like we know we can.”
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