When Scott Cummings suffered a fractured arm that ruled him out of the entirety of the Six Nations, he thought his dreams of a call-up to The British & Irish Lions were over.
But such is the esteem that the 28-year-old lock is held in, despite only making his comeback off the bench in April, Andy Farrell has selected him on his plane to Australia.
Since making his Scotland debut in 2019, Cummings has made himself an indispensable member of Gregor Townsend’s squad and will hope to prove a similar worth Down Under.
The call-up marks his first Lions tour and though it may have come as a surprise to Cummings himself, those who have played with him know it was only a matter of time.
Leading from a young age
Glasgow born and bred, Cummings followed a conventional rugby path during his fledgling days in the sport, playing for his school team at Kelvinside Academy.
It was there that he first began to demonstrate the leadership traits that would become a feature of his play throughout his career.
The second row was deputy head boy and captain of the 1st XV while at Kelvinside, during which time he impressed enough to be handed a development contract at Glasgow Warriors.
It meant Cummings could ply his trade with Glasgow Hawks while he developed under the close watch of Warriors.
“He came out of a good school team at Kelvinside with Andrew Davidson and Davie [Wilson] spoke very highly, so it was good to get them into a senior club environment and get a look at them,” former Hawks coach Finlay Gillies told Talking Rugby Union in 2020.
“Scotty impressed many of us straight away. He was a very hard working kid, very coachable, very unassuming and he got involved with the guys straight away which can be a bit daunting for a 17/18-year-old.
“There was certainly no ego attached to Scotty. He puts in the hard yards and always wants to get better. He had a great skillset and his desire to learn all about running a lineout was brilliant.
“His running lines were excellent even at that age and his smart support lines were very intelligent, meaning that he was always on the attacking player’s shoulder.”
It was a skillset that would receive early recognition as Cummings was handed the armband for Scotland Under-20s, having featured in the 2015 under-20 World Cup squad.
His time as captain was hugely successful, too, as he led Scotland to a historic 24-6 win over England in 2016 - their first over the Auld Enemy at that age grade.
As he built on those leadership skills and employed a receptivity to learn, it would soon see Cummings calling lineouts for Scotland early in his international career.
Ascension to Scott-land
Strong performances for Glasgow Hawks would be rewarded with a competitive Warriors debut against Scarlets in September 2015.
It was just one week later that Cummings touched down for his first Warriors try as the Glasgow outfit narrowly defeated Connacht.
His rise was electric as 2016 saw Cummings sign his first professional contract with Warriors before he experienced a breakout season during 2017/18 with a series of glittering performances in what was then the Guinness PRO14.
It was a knack for making himself a crucial presence in the side that he would make a habit of when his debut for Scotland arrived in 2019.
The lock made his international debut for Scotland in August 2019 as a replacement against France before being called up to the 2019 World Cup squad just two-and-a-half weeks later.
"When I got the call, I was just like 'Really?' I was amazed and so happy with how the last couple of games had gone,” he told BBC Sport.
"It has all gone quickly. Even at Glasgow around Christmas time I wasn't being picked. I got a good string of game time during the Six Nations when some of our players were away and just pushed on from there. It's surreal.”
Since then, Cummings has made himself a reliable presence in Townsend’s squad, featuring in all eight World Cup matches Scotland have played across the 2019 and 2023 tournaments.
Such importance should not come as a shock, however, with Cummings able to lean on those early leadership qualities to prove his worth from the outset.
In fact, at 23 and with just 10 caps to his name, he was already revelling in the extra responsibility of calling the lineouts.
“I’ve been [calling the lineouts] at Glasgow for years so if I getting the opportunity [with Scotland] is great,” he said in 2020.
“I think I called my first pro game at Glasgow when I made my debut. I’ve always loved calling, it’s a part of the game I’ve always enjoyed.
“It’s about backing yourselves and trusting that the processes will be better than the opposition’s [processes].”
Lion-sized doubts
By the 2024 Six Nations, Cummings had confirmed his status as indispensable to the Scotland team, spending just 10 minutes off the field across the tournament.
It was a stellar year for the Scot, who delivered a crucial try in the United Rugby Championship Final and tied the knot with now wife Catherine away from the field.
Cummings dotted down against Bulls in South Africa to instigate a Warriors comeback from 13-0 down as the Glasgow outfit became the first Scottish team to win the URC title since a format change.
It put Cummings firmly in Lions contention and he would have hoped for another strong Six Nations campaign to cement his place at the forefront of Farrell’s mind.
But sport seldom delivers such straightforward routes and Cummings’ was no different as he suffered a fractured arm in a Champions Cup game against Harlequins that made him doubt whether a Lions call would ever come.
“I thought that might have been my chances over,” he told The Scotsman.
“I was gutted at not getting to represent Scotland as well because the injury was just the week before [the Six Nations]. I was just trying to fight to get back as quickly as I could.”
The lock had just 20 minutes back on the pitch at the time of the Lions announcement but Farrell, and his teammates had seen enough to realise he was deserving of a red shirt.
“[His selection is] not a major surprise to me, I always thought Scott had a chance,” said Warriors, Scotland, and now Lions teammate, Zander Fagerson.
“I was just absolutely made up for him. I know missing the Six Nations, he was absolutely devastated.
“It just shows how highly regarded he is to go through that and still get selected. I know he’ll be absolutely ready to go, and when he does come in, he’ll really contribute to the team.
“His game speaks for itself. Solid defender, great attacker. He does his nuts and bolts really well. You can’t ask for more from a second rower. There’s nothing flash, but it’s a very good basis.”
It is a career-topping moment that Cummings will know he has earned through a consistent portfolio of performances at the top level.
“It's never something I've expected to get to but it's something I've strived to get to. It is the pinnacle of my career,” he said.
