Nick Cummins: From rugby legend to Bachie heartbreaker

Nick Cummins, 35, affectionately known as the 'Honey Badger,' first rose to fame as a charismatic and talented Australian rugby player, before going on to become a national icon and TV star.

His journey in the world of rugby was marked by incredible highs and unexpected lows, capturing the hearts of fans, both on and off the field, and his post-rugby career has also mirrored that trajectory.

Nick made his mark in rugby union, where he quickly became known for his incredible speed, agility, and fearless playing style. He was first selected for the Australian Sevens in 2007 and then, made the national Wallabies Team, just two years later.

But then, in 2014, Nick signed a lucrative deal to play for Japanese rugby club, the Coca-Cola Red Sparks. The move both raised eyebrows and sparked controversy among rugby fans and pundits, but it seems Nick wasn't out for himself, but for his family.

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"My family is currently enduring some extremely difficult times in terms of their health and well-being," he said in a statement at the time. "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."

Indeed, both Australian Rugby Union and Nick's local team, Western Force, agreed to release the young star from his contractual obligations on "compassionate grounds". However, while his decision was understandable from a personal perspective — it left a great void in Australian rugby.

Life after rugby

And while he never returned to Aussie rugby, his larrikin attitude, paired with his trademark mop of curly blond hair and moustache, meant he was all but guaranteed a permanent spot in the limelight. Regularly seen on the small screen in ads for Tradie Underwear, Head & Shoulders shampoo and beer company Iron Jack, in 2017, he followed in the steps of another Aussie great, Chris Hemsworth, starring in a Tourism Australia campaign.

"Every year the hosts (ambassadors) are better looking and this year is no different," Nick joked. "Chris Hemsworth is a big strong rooster, a good-looking cat, but it is time for a change."

Nick went on to land the presenter gig on the National Geographic program Meanwhile In Australia. "People go to Bali instead of seeing this amazing country," Nick told the Daily Telegraph while promoting the show. “You could drive a van around and still not see everything. You could go through a few lifetimes travelling around Australia. There’s so much here we should be checking out first."

But then in 2018, he hinted at a change of direction. "I've been training for something coming up in February next year," he revealed. "It is a different sport altogether".

That change was becoming the next Bachelor and considering Nick's popularity at the time, it's no wonder Network 10 thought he would make the perfect lead for the show. It was not to be though.

Fall from grace

Nick went into The Bachelor as a single man and, shockingly for the franchise, and network, he walked out the same way.

In the final episode of the 2018 season of the show, Nick famously dumped the two finalists, Brittany Hockley and Sophie Tieman, breaking hearts all around the country.

Then, Nick scuttled off to walk the Kokoda trail before the finale had even aired, leaving poor Sophie and Brittany to face questions about the season's disappointing end. However, as it turns out, the rugby star just couldn't bring himself to play pretend.

"What’s more important," Cummins asked on ABC's Radio National, "Me just saying ‘yes’ and going through the motions, dragging some girl through all this media about how we’re in love and then three months down the track after the contract’s over, um, we’re allowed to break up?"

"I’m not going to drag them through that rubbish and break her heart," Nick added. "Bugger that."

The former rugby star later revealed that starring in The Bachelor, had taken a toll on his mental health, but that this had also led to him creating the Rogue Gentleman's Club, a tour company for blokes that need to get away from it all.

Reproving his mettle

After the disaster of The Bachelor, Nick then joined the first season of SAS Australia in 2020. It was here that the former rugby star reminded the Australian public how he had earned his 'Honey Badger' nickname. Nick refused to give up and clawed his way to victory as one of just three people to make it all the way through the series, passing the test to get into Australia's Special Forces.

Then, just this year, Nick took part in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, where he was a late arrival in the South African 'jungle' camp.

However, despite his popularity with the audience, Nick was voted off quickly. "My experience in the jungle was definitely more difficult than I expected," Nick told 10 Play, when still fresh out of the jungle. "I’ve done a lot of camping and a lot of roughing it, you might say, but this is a whole other kettle of fish.

"Once you throw in a whole lot of people in a confined space with minimal food and nutrition, that is going to upset anything that you’ve got prepared," the former Wallabies star added. "You might have a grand plan but once you land in the jungle, all bets are off."

Nick lost 8kg during his 14-day stay in the jungle but he quickly replenished himself. "Mate, first thing I did when I got out was strap the feed bag on, and got about a kilo of shepherd’s pie in," he told news.com.au from South Africa. "Then had a couple of beers, and now things are good."

Finding peace

And while he's found a post-rugby career in TV and as a brand ambassador, he's also now off the market, having found love with girlfriend Alexandra George. The couple went Insta official in April 2021 and then just last year, they welcomed their first child together, a son, Billy George Cummins.

"Becoming a parent is a game-changer," the new dad and former Wallaby told TV Week. "You realise all the immature things you thought were important actually mean nothing. All that matters is a smile on the kid's face and a happy, healthy family."

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