1 week Ago
The 32-year-old former Cardinal Newman High School student was named on the long list of 25 players in the running to receive the women’s 2024 IRL Golden Boot last week, be it is now confirmed she is in the final six. England captain and a long-serving star in the St Helens Women’s Super League team, she is joined by five contenders from Down Under. Australia’s Tarryn Aiken, Tiana Penitani and Tamika Upton are also in the mix along with New Zealand’s Annessa Biddle and Samoa’s Annetta-Claudia Nu'uausala.
The IRL Golden Boot is awarded to the best player in sanctioned rugby league international matches each year. Cunningham led her country to an 82-0 destruction of Wales at Headingley earlier this month and the 42-0 mid-season international against France in Toulouse in June. No England player has won the award since it was introduced to the women’s game in 2018.
Jillaroos stars Aiken, Penitani and Upton helped Australia to victory over New Zealand in the Pacific Cup, with Aiken the player of the match against a Ferns side which featured Biddle. Nu’uausala led Samoa to victory in the Pacific Bowl and a berth in the 2026 World Cup after sudden-death wins against Tonga and Fiji. IRL chair Troy Grant said: “Congratulations to the six players who have been shortlisted for the 2024 IRL Golden Boot from a very strong field of candidates.
“The growth of women’s rugby league in recent years has been phenomenal and continues to go from strength to strength. “The skill level and physicality are unmatched in any other sport and when players pull on the jerseys of their national teams the passion is evident. “In 2024 we have seen women’s World Cup qualifying tournaments played for the first time in each region, with Samoa, France and Wales winning berths at RLWC2026.
“There is so much to look forward to in 2025, with Australia to play England in an historic women’s international at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas before the first women’s Ashes series, the Pacific Championships, and the inaugural World Series featuring Canada (Americas), Fiji (Asia-Pacific), Ireland (Europe) and Nigeria (Africa) playing for the final spot at the 2026 World Cup.” The women’s 2024 IRL Golden Boot winner will be judged by Australian Jillaroos great Karyn Murphy, New Zealand dual code superstar Honey Hireme-Smiler and England international Danika Priim. The winner of the 2024 IRL Golden Boot awards will be announced in early December.
Warrington Wolves stand-off and England men’s skipper George Williams awaits news of the men’s IRL Golden Boot shortlist, after having been named on the long list last week..
