Jarrod Cunningham

{{Short description|NZ rugby union player}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Jarrod Cunningham

| image =

| birth_name =

| birth_place = Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

| allblackno =

| allblackid =

| death_place =

| height = {{height|m=1.82|precision=0}}

| weight = {{convert|89|kg|lb||abbr=on}}

| ru_position = Fullback

| repteam1 =

| repcaps1 =

| reppoints1 =

| repyears1 =

| super1 = Hurricanes

| super2 = Blues

| superyears1 = 1997–1998

| superyears2 = 1996

| superapps1 = 12

| superpoints1 = 14

| province1 = London Wasps

| province2 = London Irish

| province3 = Central Vikings

| province4 = Hawke's Bay{{cite web |url=http://www.magpierugby.com/content/view/316/2/ |title=Jarrod Cunningham passes away |publisher=Magpie Rugby |accessdate=16 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118023831/http://www.magpierugby.com/content/view/316/2 |archive-date=18 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}[http://www.hbmagpies.co.nz/ContentPages/Content.aspx?pid=5 Hawkes Bay rugby union website - 50+ Appearances] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014072647/http://www.hbmagpies.co.nz/ContentPages/Content.aspx?pid=5 |date=14 October 2008 }}

| provinceyears1 = 2002

| provinceyears2 = 1998–2002

| provinceyears3 = 1997–1998

| provinceyears4 = 1990–1996

| provinceapps1 =

| provinceapps2 = 82

| provinceapps3 =

| provinceapps4 = 77

| provincepoints1 =

| provincepoints2 = 848

| provincepoints3 = 173

| provincepoints4 = 998

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| predecessor =

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| occupation = Professional Rugby Player

| nickname =

| gender =

| school = Havelock North High School

| title =

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1968|09|07|df=yes}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|07|23|1968|09|07|df=yes}}

}}

Jarrod Cunningham (7 September 1968 – 23 July 2007) was a New Zealand rugby union fullback. Born in Hawke's Bay, Cunningham played for his home town rugby club from 1990 to 1997, during which time he was trialed for the All Blacks in 1993, but was kept out of the side by Andrew Mehrtens. He played Super 12 rugby for Auckland Blues in 1996, and then Wellington Hurricanes in the 1997/98 season. In July 1998, he joined English Premiership Rugby side London Irish, playing 82 games and scoring 18 tries and 848 points. In the 2000/1 season he was the leagues leading points scorer, with 324.{{cite web |url=http://www.london-irish.com/newspage.ink?nid=28720&newstype=p&matchid= |title=News London Irish |website=www.london-irish.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213054/http://www.london-irish.com/newspage.ink?nid=28720&newstype=p&matchid= |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}

After tests at Charing Cross Hospital, Cunningham was diagnosed with suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), in June 2002.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/2116537.stm |title=Fatal disease hits Cunningham |work=BBC News|date=8 July 2002 |accessdate=16 August 2011}} He immediately retired from professional rugby, and started the Jarrod Cunningham SALSA Foundation in March 2003 with the aim of providing hope, education and inspiration for fellow sufferers of ALS.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/rugby_special/2436365.stm |title=Rugby Special | Jarrod Cunningham 'joke book' fund |work=BBC News|date=10 November 2002 |accessdate=16 August 2011}} In November 2004 he was awarded the IRB Spirit of Rugby award in recognition of his work in raising awareness of the disease. He returned home to New Zealand in December 2004. He died at his home on 23 July 2007.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/london_irish/6911532.stm |title=London Irish | Exiles mourn death of Cunningham |work=BBC News|date=23 July 2007 |accessdate=16 August 2011}}