Stuart Cummings MBE (born 17 November 1960) is the former Match Officials Director of the Rugby Football League, and a former international referee.

Stuart Cummings
Personal information
Born17 November 1960
Whitehaven
Refereeing information
Years Competition Apps
1995–2000 World Cup 7
1996–1999 Other Internationals 3
1991–2002 Championship/Super League
1991–2002 Challenge Cup
Source: [1]
Stuart Cummings
Personal information
Full name
Stuart Cummings
Born17 November 1960
Whitehaven
BattingRight-hand bat
RoleWicketkeeper
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1987, 1987Cheshire
Career statistics
Competition List A
Matches 2
Runs scored 1
Batting average
100s/50s
Top score 1
Balls bowled
Wickets
Bowling average
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling
Catches/stumpings -

Career

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He played wicketkeeper for Cheshire County Cricket Club in the 1986 and 1987 seasons.[2]

He qualified as a rugby league referee in 1988 and was awarded senior referee status in 1991.[3] In his refereeing career, he took charge of over 400 first-grade games, including 4 Challenge Cup finals, 2 World Cup finals and 2 Grand Finals.

In 1998 he suffered bruised ribs at the end of a Challenge Cup semi-final during a crowd invasion.[4]

He was the former Rugby Football League Match Officials Director.[5] In this position, he fielded questions from fans about refereeing decisions and explained the laws behind disputed or controversial decisions.[6] His job also included appointing senior officials to matches and reviewing their performances. During his tenure he oversaw the transition to full-time referees in the Super League.

He was also regularly featured on Rugby League live broadcasts to provide expert opinion.

Cummings was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for services to Rugby League.[7]

In 2014 he was hired by the England and Wales Cricket Board to work with its umpiring panel for the summer after stepping down from his position with the RFL[8] and was appointed as a cricket liaison officer by the ECB in 2015.[9]

In June 2016 he joined the RFL's new Match Officials' Standards Panel.[10]

Personal life

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Prior to being the Match Officials Director, Cummings was a physical education teacher at Up Holland High School,[11] near Wigan; refereeing weekends until taking up his position with the Rugby Football League full-time in 2000.

References

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  1. ^ Stuart Cummings rugbyleagueproject.org
  2. ^ "ECB hires rugby league's Stuart Cummings to work with umpiring panel". TheGuardian.com. 4 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Former rugby league referee Stuart Cummings delighted to be made an MBE in New Year Honours".
  4. ^ "Rugby League: Fan's surprise attack breaks rugby league taboo". Independent.co.uk. 29 March 1998. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Match Officials". NRL Live. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  6. ^ "Match Officials". NRL Live. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  7. ^ "No. 60728". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2013. p. 17.
  8. ^ Wilson, Andy (4 March 2014). "ECB hires rugby league's Stuart Cummings to work with umpiring panel". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  9. ^ "Five more Cricket Liaison Officers to support the First Class game". England and Wales Cricket Board. England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  10. ^ "RFL Launches new Match Officials' Standards Panel".
  11. ^ "Karen's Delight at MBE". Wigan Today. Wigan Observer and Wigan Post. Retrieved 13 January 2019.