Nick Cummins in action for the West Red Sparks and enjoying the confines of the team bus.
The eyes of Australian rugby fans will be trained on Eden Park this weekend as the Wallabies look to make history against the All Blacks.
But half a world away, the most popular player in the code will be performing away from the public glare in a relatively low-key affair at the Umakana Yokana Stadium.
Nick Cummins and his Coca Cola West Red Sparks play their season opener against Schalk Burger’s Suntory Sungoliath on Saturday.
The Honey Badger has already been involved in trial matches against Sanix Blues and Hino Motors, posting victories on both occasions.
“I just watched the first game and the boys are running around like a horse upstairs,” Cummins told Jsports, who were presumably reaching for the Google Translate button. “Power packed. Tackle low, tackle hard. Looking forward to it.”
Cummins would almost certainly have taken his place in the Wallabies XV for this year’s Bledisloe series had he opted to remain in Australia.
But a huge contract in Japan — reported locally to be valued at $600,000 — and the need to support his family through three separate health concerns prompted his decision to shift to Japan’s Top League.
“My family is currently enduring some extremely difficult times in terms of their health and wellbeing and my time in Japan will hopefully provide me with the opportunity to give back to and provide some certainty for my family during this difficult time,” said Cummins, who is providing financial support to two siblings with cystic fibrosis and a father battling prostate cancer.
“It was a difficult decision to make in the context of a Rugby World Cup next year, but the health and wellbeing of my family is paramount and the move to Japan is something I have to do for them. I now must put my own interests in the World Cup aside.”
Cummins’ arrival in Japan after the conclusion of the Western Force’s Super Rugby campaign was a relatively low key affair, although the local Fukuoka media were well aware of their new resident’s eccentric past.
“Fukuoka is in for a treat with the Honey Badger’s move,” the Fukuoka Now website noted. “He is recognised as one of the best wingers in the world. And, his wild-haired look is sure to turn heads on and off the field. Fukuoka Now sends out a special welcome to the Honey Badger — please enjoy your time in our city!”
Cummins isn’t the only big name to be playing in Japan this season. Burger, Jacques Potgieter (Sanix Blues), Radike Samo (Kintetsu Liners), Heinrich Brussow (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes), Berrick Barnes and JP Pietersen (Panasonic Wild Knights) are among those to be plying their trade in the Top League.
Japan national coach Eddie Jones is hopeful the exposure of international talent to local players will strengthen the game in Japan as it launches a bid for a Super Rugby franchise.
“If you put the Japan national team in Super Rugby, and then supplanted it with a few marquee players like Fourie Du Preez or George Smith, you’d have a competitive team,” Jones said recently.
The Top League is split into the two pools. Pool A contains: Panasonic Wild Knights, Toshiba Brave Lupus, Yamaha Jubilo, NEC Green Rockets, Kubota Spears, Toyota Shokki Shuttles, NTT Comms and Fukuoka Sanix Blues.
Pool B contains: Suntory Sungoliath, Kobe Kobelco Steelers, Toyota Verblitz, Canon Eagles, Kintetsu Liners, Ricoh Black Rams, Coca-Cola West Red Sparks and NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes.