Former rugby league referee Stuart Cummings delighted to be made an MBE in ...

“You do something for so many years and you just get on the treadmill, it

keeps going round and round.

“It’s not until afterwards when something like this happens that you get

time to reflect and see how much you have actually done.

“It is nice to be honoured in this way. It was a complete surprise.

“It was back in November when I received the letter. There was a bit of

thinking, ‘Is it a wind-up?’, but I soon realised it wasn’t.

“I’m really pleased, it means a lot.”

Cummings, a former PE teacher, began refereeing in 1988 and was promoted to

the top panel three years later.

He was one of the most respected and recognised referees of the early Super

League era and featured regularly on the international scene.

He said: “I loved refereeing and I probably retired too early because the

opportunity to be in charge of the referees came along.

“But it was a very interesting period. Taking them into the full-time

environment was a massive challenge, as were some of the big games I

refereed.

“Of them there are the three that stand out: the first Challenge Cup

final I did in 1996 between St Helens and Bradford, it ended up 40-32 and it

was a fantastic game; then obviously the two World Cup finals.

“I am really pleased with the way things turned out and I am pleased my

career has been marked in this way.”

Cummings is still involved in the game as a television analyst and recently

oversaw match official appointments for the World Cup.

He has also set up his own consultancy business with the aim of helping

various sports. He has already done additional work with the RFL and is also

working with British Weight Lifting.

Cummings also believes his honour is good for the sport of rugby league.

“It is a fantastic sport,” he said. “We all think it should get

more recognition than it does, so it is nice when we can put something like

this out about our sport. We should be very proud of it.”

RFL chief executive Nigel Wood led the tributes to Cummings.

Wood said: “I would like to congratulate Stuart on being awarded the MBE

for his services to the sport.

“Stuart did an outstanding job for the RFL in his different roles both on

and off the field and this recognition is richly deserved.

“Given the intense scrutiny referees face, it is to Stuart’s credit that

he always fulfilled what is often the hardest job in rugby league with

diligence, dignity and, above all, integrity.”

Two pioneers of the development of rugby league have also been recognised in

the Honours list.

Martin Coyd, who has been awarded the OBE, and Malcolm Kielty, who has

received the MBE, have both played leading roles in the development of

Wheelchair Rugby League and in Martin’s case also the establishing of rugby

league as an official sport within the British Armed Forces.

Former rugby league referee Stuart Cummings delighted to be made an MBE in ...