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Ben Cummins is an Australian formerrugby league referee, who last officiated in theNational Rugby League.
Cummins was born inCairns,Queensland. He moved toCanberra,Australian Capital Territory, when he was four years of age. He now lives inSydney with his wife (Jane), three daughters (Isani, Bethany and Caitlin) and son (Patrick).He played juniorrugby league inCanberra and studied primary school teaching at theAustralian Catholic University.[2]
He made hisNational Rugby League debut in 2006 in a Cowboys-Panthers match in North Queensland.
In 2011 he controlled theCity vs Country Origin match. Since then he has refereed matches in the2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016 and2017 State of Origin series. He also controlled the2014 World Club Challenge.[1]
His international appointments include the2010 Rugby League Four Nations and2014 Rugby League Four Nations and the2013 and2017 Rugby League World Cups.
In August 2017, he became the sixth referee to control 300 NRL matches.[2]
During the 2019 NRL Grand Final, with the scores at 8–all and with less than ten minutes remaining in the match, his controversial change of mind after ruling six again in favour of theCanberra Raiders proved a major turning point as theSydney Roosters scored off the subsequent set of six to win the match 14–8.[3]
On 29 July 2021, Cummins officiated his 400th NRL Match, becoming the first referee to do so, after earlier in the season surpassingBill Harrigan's 18-year record of 393 games.
Cummins announced that following the last round of the2023 NRL season that he would retire. The experienced whistleblower controlled his 443rd and last game on 2 September 2023 between theSt George Illawarra Dragons and theNewcastle Knights.[4]