A season to remember for Cummings

It was
a different start to the season than the second-rower’s been used to in recent
years. Instead of playing in the club’s pre-season fixtures against Ulster,
Cummings was in Japan stepping onto the pitch wearing the thistle in his first
Rugby World Cup.

“It
feels surreal looking back that I was in Japan for such a long time and played
in a Rugby World Cup,” said the 23-year-old.

“Being
involved in the Japan game was definitely the highlight for me. It’s something
I might never experience again – playing against a home nation who are going
for a quarter-final.

“Representing
your country is something you dream about. For it to have finally come true
made me immensely proud.”

After a
short break to catch his breath, Cummings was back with Glasgow and starting in
some of the club’s biggest fixtures of the season including all six of the
club’s Heineken Champions Cup fixtures.

“I
think there was a missed opportunity in Europe,” said the 6ft 6in man from
Glasgow.

“We
were so close in so many ways but that’s the difference in Europe you’ve got to
be 100% all the time.

“Beating
La Rochelle away was an amazing game for us. It was probably one of the best
atmospheres we’ve played in front of.”

A brace
of hard-fought 1872 Cup clashes were also high on the former Scotland U20
captain’s list of season highlights so far, with the Warriors splitting the
December double-header with their cross-country rivals.

“You
love and hate the Edinburgh games,” admitted Cummings.

“Playing
against guys that you are fighting for a Scotland jersey with gives it an added
element. They know you so well and you know them so well. You get roped into
small battles with your opposite number, for me, it was the lineout.

“The
1872 Cup fixtures are probably one of the closest things you’re going to get to
test match rugby. Is those sort of big derby games you look forward to playing.”

After
nine games in 12 weeks with the Warriors Cummings was called up once again to
the Scotland squad, this time for the Guinness Six Nations where he featured in
all four games for his country.

“It’s
great to be playing for Scotland and it’s been one of my goals for years, but I
do miss not playing more regularly for Glasgow in front of the Scotstoun
crowd”, said Cummings.

“Getting
those four starts in the Six Nations was something I was hoping for but I
didn’t know if it would happen.

“I feel
like I’m getting to the position I want to be in fighting for those starting
jerseys all the time.”

Cummings
was named in the Scotland squad to take on Wales which would have seen the lock
earn his thirteenth cap for his country in just nine months when COVID-19
interjected.

A halt
in an action-packed season has not stopped his drive to compete for that
starting jersey, however, as he looks to stay fit during “lockdown”.

He
chuckles: “I’m trying to work out as much as I can. I’ve got it in my head that
I’ll come back shredded!

“It’s
tough, now is not the time you are going to make those physical gains because
as much as you can work out every day the rest of the time you are sitting
about not doing much. It’s about maintaining strength and coming back in the
best physical state I can when rugby returns.”

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