 Cunliffe's form earned him selection for England against Ireland in 1900.For the match, played at Lansdowne Road, Dublin on 17 March 1900, the England team were confidently expecting an easy match after five successive victories, including winning 13–2 the previous year.The England selectors chose five debutantes, including Cunliffe, who made his solitary England appearance at inside right, with his Portsmouth teammate Matt Reilly in goal for the Irish.