Francis Cummins named new Bradford Bulls head coach

 

Bradford Bulls have appointed Francis Cummins as their new head coach on a three-year contract.

The former Leeds winger, 35, served as an assistant to Mick Potter for the past two years.

Cummins, who was recommended for the job by Potter, will become the youngest head coach in Super League.

"We had no hesitation in taking Mick's recommendation to offer Francis the job and we are delighted he accepted," said Bulls chairman Gerry Sutcliffe.

Francis Cummins factfile

  • Cummins spent his entire playing career at Leeds - scoring 188 tries in 356 appearances.
  • The utility back made history when he became the youngest player to feature in a Challenge Cup final at the age of 17, scoring a memorable field-length try as the Rhinos lost to Wigan in the 1994 fixture.
  • He won England and Great Britain honours, and also represented Ireland.
  • After hanging up his boots, Cummins joined the coaching staff at Leeds, working as assistant to Tony Smith and Brian McClennan, before joining Bradford in 2010 to work alongside Mick Potter.

Potter, who is returning to his native Australia, had been working for free, as had Cummins, at Odsal since July as the club battled to avoid liquidation.

He rejected a fresh contract offered by the club's new owners.

Bradford faced extinction earlier this summer after being hit with a winding-up order over unpaid tax.

But the club's financial future was secured after businessman Omar Khan led a consortium to buy the club from administrators in August.

That takeover was ratified by the Rugby Football League last week.

Former Great Britain international Cummins, who also represented Ireland, spent his entire club career with Leeds Rhinos, where he was later an assistant coach before moving to Bradford in 2010.

When Super League resumes in February, Cummins will be the youngest coach in the competition as Catalan Dragons boss Trent Robinson, who is nine months younger, is leaving for the NRL.