Saints pioneers Cunningham & Rudge to retire

Saints pioneers Cunningham & Rudge to retireImage source, SWPixImage caption, Jodie Cunningham (left) has 43 career tries for Saints, while Emily Rudge has 48Published1 hour agoEngland's most capped women's international players Jodie Cunningham and Emily Rudge are to retire at the end of the season.Cunningham is the current St Helens and England skipper and has 34 international caps, one more than Saints vice-captain Rudge who also led her country from 2018 to 2023.Both have been with Saints since the formation of the women's side eight years ago, and have 197 appearances for the club between them.The 2021 Woman of Steel, Cunningham led the club to a league title, two League Leaders' Shields, and four straight Women's Challenge Cups between 2021 and 2024."Rugby league has given me everything in life and I am so grateful for the opportunities and experiences I have had playing the sport I love," Cunnigham told the club website., external"There's still a long way to go with a Challenge Cup final, the Women's Super League and, hopefully, a World Cup at the end of the year."But knowing this is my last season just makes me even more motivated to go out and give everything I've got to hopefully lift some silverware."Image source, SWPixImage caption, Lifting the Women's Challenge Cup together in 2023'We didn't want to play without the other'Sharing the same club honours as her lifelong friend, Rudge became only the second women's player to reach 100 match appearances for the club, following Channy Crowl. She has 48 tries in 102 appearances."I think Jodie and I always knew that we would finish together," she said. "We've had a long career side by side and, honestly, I don't think either of us wanted to play without the other. "I probably do feel like I could carry on for another couple of years, but I'm certain that this is the right decision. I&...