Cometh the hour, Cummins the man
FORMER EP Kings lock Steven Cummins is set to return to Port Elizabeth in the colours of Welsh outfit Scarlets to face the Southern Kings in a Pro14 clash on Sunday.
Scarlets said the 25-year-old former Australian U20 player is set to link up with the West Wales region ahead of the trip to South Africa.
The Welsh side have been hit by international call-ups, and have decided to bolster their ranks by signing the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby forward.
Cummins is set to pack down at lock with another Kings player David Bulbring, who is also a member of the Scarlets squad
Standing 2.02m tall, Cummins can also cover the blindside flank, and could make his Scarlets debut at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Cummins has put pen to paper on a long-term deal and will be available to feature for the Scarlets immediately.
Cummins has represented New South Wales and Australian Schoolboys, captaining the side in 2010. He went on to represent Australia U19s and U20s, featuring in the 2012 Junior World Rugby Championships in Cape Town, as well as representing EP Kings in the Currie Cup (2014) and captaining Melbourne Rising.
“We are delighted to confirm that Steve Cummins is joining the Scarlets. Securing the right quality of player, both on and off the field, is crucial for us as a group with camaraderie and team environment equally as important as on-field perfo Scarlets general manager Jon Daniels said.
“The need for non-Welsh qualified players is more relevant to us than ever now with 15 players on international duty.
“So bringing in the right player, who will be available to us all season to complement our homegrown talent, is something that is crucial to our strategic aims and has proved to be very effective in recent seasons.”
Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac said he was delighted to have Cummins on board.
“Steve is an experienced lock forward with a high workrate. His credentials speak for themselves having started every Super Rugby game for the Melbourne Rebels in 2017,” said Pivac.
The Kings will name their team to face Scarlets on Friday. — DDC