In an exclusive interview, Tara Jones and Jodie Cunningham of St Helen’s Women’s Rugby team share candid insights into the often overlooked mental health hurdles confronting female athletes, shedding light on their personal journeys.
The lack of mental health resources and opportunities did not discourage either of these women from pursuing their dreams of playing for St Helens. Jones, who grew up in Warrington, grappled with apprehensions arising from rugby’s predominantly male image and struggled to find access to girls’ teams.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jodie Cunningham
However, in the realm of rugby, a notable shift is underway as girls’ participation
levels and an increasing number of girls’ rugby teams emerge. This transformation marks a significant departure from the landscape two decades ago when female involvement in the sport was far less prevalent.
Jones said: “I’m happy to say that I’m jealous of young girls now that have such easy access to teams and great opportunities in girls rugby. I’m so pleased with the direction the game is heading in.”
Addressing the mental health issue of body image pressures within the sport, the hooker acknowledged: “As a young girl, it used to be something that I thought about. I didn’t want my body to change or get bigger, which I thought I had to do to play rugby. But now, if I look at myself in the mirror and see these changes, I am proud of that because I’m working hard to perform and being a strong woman is part of that.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Annie King
Jodie Cunningham, the team captain, discussed the women's team's approach to addressing hormonal fluctuations during periods, a particular mental health issue that is challenging for women.
“You have days where your tolerance and patience is much lower than it normally would be when you’re on your period and it can be really challenging. We’ve got a team of 30 female players so how we all communicate and react with each other is so important.
“This season the club has introduced well-being questionnaires for everyone to fill out. It asks questions about physio issues, sickness and where you are in your menstrual cycle so that they can flag these things and be sensitive and mindful of what we might be going through.”
In a significant development, St Helen’s Rugby Football Club announced in March of this year that the women’s team would be receiving match payments for the 2024 season.
Jones expressed her pride, stating: "I'm so proud of all the girls and the club for making this happen because it’s so important we’ve got that backing from the board to take such a huge step in the women’s game.”
Cunningham echoed this, emphasising the significance of this milestone in her career: “The step we’ve taken is so important and particularly for me, I’m one of the senior players and never thought I’d see this in my playing career. Just to be able to say we are now paid for the value that we bring on the field, that’s quite special.”
Chairman of the rugby club, Eamonn McManus said: “As of the 2024 season we will be deservingly paying our women players match payments. We truly believe the women’s game has incredible potential nationally and as a club consider ourselves trail blazers for women’s rugby league in this country.
“We see ourselves as a single game in which women are equally as important as men.”
However, despite this progress, the women’s team still faces challenges that impact their mental well-being, notably the discrepancy in pay compared to their male counterparts. Balancing full-time jobs alongside rugby careers adds to an additional layer of stress, highlighting the ongoing struggle for equality in women’s sports.
Jones is a full-time sports coach at Warrington's Chaigeley School. This school specialises in meeting children's educational requirements related to social, emotional, and mental health needs.
The 27-year-old said: “It becomes difficult because you’re trying to balance everything like performing at work and giving one hundred and ten percent in training is difficult. But it’s what we love doing so you just find a way to manage it.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Jodie Cunningham and St Helen's RFC
The team captain added: “It’s really tough. The hardest thing is that if we had more time, we could do more. Some of the girls have quite difficult demanding jobs and you’ve got to try and fit your training in whilst trying to get the most out of it, which can be hard because you’re fatigued, tired and sore but you still have to carry on.”
The 32-year-old from Warrington began working full-time at her rugby club in January as the Head of Women's Pathways and Performance.
The passion of the two St. Helens rugby stars extends beyond the field, as they champion the empowerment of women in sports and strive to support young girls navigating mental health challenges.
Jones emphasised the importance of self-confidence, urging young girls to embrace their strength and independence. "It’s important that you’re confident within yourself and it’s okay to be a strong independent woman.
“Be proud of how you look, it doesn’t matter as long as you’re confident then you should showcase that within your sport and if that’s rugby league then that’s even better in my opinion.”
For Cunningham, rugby league offers a liberating platform for self-expression, where women can embrace authenticity without judgement. Encouraging young girls to prioritise authenticity over appearance, she underscores the sport's capacity to empower.
Click below to hear Jodie’s advice for young girls:
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