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Wallabies winger Nick Cummins will be back with the Western Force next year.
Frustrating and protracted negotiations with the Australian Rugby Union over his Wallabies top-up have finally been completed and Cummins will be in Perth for final discussions with Force management.
An announcement is imminent. One source said it was "hours rather than days away".
Cummins, who has been selected for the Wallabies' European Grand Slam tour, was off contract with the Super Rugby club in December and there was interest from another Australian team and French and Japanese clubs.
The flying "honey badger" - his self-anointed nickname - said he wanted to remain with the Force and while in Perth with the Wallabies for the recent Test against Argentina he said: "I do like it at home here. It feels like home."
At that time Cummins, who has become a cult figure with Force fans, also said he hoped to have made a commitment before the November tour. Force coach Michael Foley said this week that talks had been progressing well.
"Nick's definitely somebody we want to retain. We are particularly keen to see that he stays with the club," Foley said.
"We're very patient and very pleased that we are progressing in that regard. He is somebody that certainly added a lot of energy when he played for us last year and a lot of threat.
"There are deadlines to create clarity in Australian rugby, but from our point of view patience is an important part of making sure we do everything we can to get the squad we want."
Cummins has scored nine tries in 59 appearances for the Force since 2007.
His retention is an important link in what is shaping as a dynamic back line that will include former All Blacks scrum-half Alby Mathewson, Wallaby-in-waiting Kyle Godwin and new signing Luke Morahan.
The club is still negotiating with dumped Wallaby James O'Connor, who would bring more threats to the line-up.
If he returns it would complete the Force 2014 squad.
Cummins said the potential back line was very exciting.
"All these boys are pretty fast and exciting players, so good to run off the back of," he said.
Cummins has had mixed fortunes with the Wallabies, shattering his ankle on his very first day of training four years ago.
He was called back into the squad that travelled to South Africa the following year and won a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in India.
Cummins made his Test debut against Argentina in 2012 and in that year's northern hemisphere tour was Australia's lone try-scorer in wins over England and Italy.
A knee injury limited him to just six games for the Force last season, but he showed enough to earn a recall to the Wallabies squad for the British and Irish Lions Test series.
He broke his hand in the one-point win over Argentina at Patersons Stadium in September, forcing him out of the final Rugby Championship matches. Did you know? 9 Nick Cummins has scored nine tries in his 59 appearances for the Western Force.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...ith-the-force/
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Originally Posted by GAFFA
