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Australian Sevens try-scoring machine Nick Cummins has joined the Emirates Western Force on a two year contract.
Described by Australian Sevens coach Glen Ella as the best Sevens prospect since Matt Giteau, Cummins rejected interest from two other unions and a National Rugby League franchise in his move west.
The 96kg Cummins is a product of the St Francis School in Brisbane, where he starred in the swimming pool and on the athletics track, as well as on the rugby field.
He represented Queensland Schoolboys in rugby and played NTRA Touch Football for Australia.
The outside back played a season of Randwick colts before being selected for the Australian Sevens team, where he finished the 2007 IRB Sevens World Series as the nation’s top tryscorer.
He has been playing first grade with Randwick since returning from representative duties.
Cummins said he was delighted to be a part of the Emirates Western Force rugby program, and was also looking forward to playing for Perth Spirit in the Australian Rugby Championship.
“The Force is a team on the move, and playing and training under coach John Mitchell and alongside guys like Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Cameron Shepherd and Scott Staniforth will be a great learning environment for me,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity of developing my game and being part of a successful team,” he said.
Emirates Western Force Head Coach John Mitchell described Cummins as a “salt of the earth” type of the character with plenty of natural talent.
“He’s tall and rangy with lots of acceleration. He’s also not afraid of the fray, and we like that,” Mitchell said.
“We’ll look at Nick’s potential at outside centre but he also provides us with a new option for the wing now that Digby Ioane has gone.”