Francis Cummins

Francis Cummins

Personal information
Born	(1976-10-12) 12 October 1976 (age 40) Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England
Playing information
Position	Fullback, Wing, Centre
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1993–05 Leeds Rhinos 356 188 79 2 912 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1995 England 1 3 0 0 12 1998–99 Great Britain 3 0 0 0 0 2001–03 Ireland Yorkshire
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 2013–14 Bradford Bulls 48 17 2 29 35
As of 15 June 2014 Source: Rugby League Project

Francis Cummins (born 12 October 1976 in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire) is an English professional rugby league coach and former player. He was most recently the head coach of Super League team Bradford Bulls from September 2012 until July 2014. A Great Britain and England national representative winger, Cummins also played for Ireland at fullback and played his entire professional career with the Leeds Rhinos, with whom he won the 1999 Challenge Cup Final.

Francis grew up in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire and was the captain of both St. John Fisher's school team (1988–93) which were regular finalists in the Yorkshire Cup, and St. John Fisher's ARLFC. St. John Fisher's school team has produced some notable English rugby league talents over the years including Francis Maloney, Ryan Sheridan, Matt Diskin, Adrian Flynn and Tommy Gallagher. His sporting heroes growing up were former Leeds star Garry Schofield and ex-Manchester United and England football captain, Bryan Robson. When playing at St. John Fisher, his preferred position was stand-off and he was also the designated goal-kicker. Francis represented England schoolboys when he was 15 years old.

Cummins played for Leeds throughout his whole career between 1993–2005. Cummins has also played on several occasions for Great Britain and also Ireland at international level. He is the youngest player ever to appear in a Rugby League Challenge Cup at Wembley Stadium, London. He was aged just 17 years and 200 days when Leeds lost to Wigan in 1994, although Francis did score a memorable length-of-the-field try during the game. Francis made his début for England in 1995 against France at Gateshead when he scored a hat-trick of tries, he then played for Emerging England in 1998 against Wales. He made his Great Britain début later that year playing in the last two Tests against New Zealand.