Date: 10/10/13
The USA Tomahawks are proud to announce the most capped player in their history, home grown rugby league pioneer Curtis Cunz, as their team ambassador.
Tomahawks’ team manager Steven Johnson said Cunz was one of the faces of the game in America and richly deserved his appointment after initially missing the tour as a played due to a bicep injury.
Cunz will be the public face of the Tomahawks during the tour, attending all official functions.
Cunz, a Connecticut Wildcats star, made his international rugby league debut for the USA in Widnes in 2007 when the Tomahawks faced off against Samoa in the final round of qualifying for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.
Six years later he will be a key influence on the team in their inaugural World Cup appearance.
“The submission for Curtis to the RLWC reveals just how important he is to the Tomahawks,” Johnson said.
“He is one of the two best known home grown American players and has featured heavily in USA league stories over the past few years as the face of American rugby league.
“He cruelly suffered a bad bicep injury at the last minute and the coaches, as much as they wanted to, couldn’t consider him for selection.
“As soon as we became aware of that we worked on developing this role as it simply wouldn’t have been the same RLWC with Curtis being on tour.”
Cunz has also been nominated to the RLWC judiciary panel.
Cunz said he would use the experience to further develop the 13-man code once he returned to America.
“I would like to thank the coaching staff who selected me and gave me this rare opportunity to serve as ambassador for the United States,” Cunz said.
“I know I’m not only representing the World Cup team but especially my brothers in arms who fought and sacrificed almost everything they had just to get to this point.
“I plan to use this experience to gain the most knowledge I can as I look to improve the game in all facets in America’s domestic competition.
“In doing this I will hopefully open up some more doors and avenues in life for the younger generation of athlete while putting the greatest game of all on a pedestal.
“Since we started playing the game we have dreamed about getting to this level and now it is here, it is time to relish it.
“Whether you are in the team or not, it is time to cheer for the red white and blue.”
