Western Force primed to go utilise weapons out wide

[travelling_gerry]

WESTERN Force wing Nick Cummins is confident the Perth club will stun a few rivals in Super Rugby this season and that he won't feel so isolated out-wide in a backline eager to unleash its full stockpile of weapons.

The powerful 25-year-old predator admits it often got lonely prowling the touchline last season in a Force side that struggled to spread the ball beyond the midfield, thus negating their two deadliest finishers in Cummins and marquee signing Napolioni Nalaga.

The classy Cummins, nevertheless, was still able to salvage something from a wretched Force season by scoring three tries and then slipping into the Wallaby side for a Test victory on debut against Argentina followed by a draw against the world champion All Blacks and caps in all four Spring Tour matches in Europe yielding tries against England and Italy.

Suddenly the practical joker of the Perth club finds himself in a position of leadership and responsibility as a senior statesman in the Force backline containing three capped Wallabies in Brett Sheehan, Sam Norton-Knight and Cummins.

Affectionately dubbed the Honey Badger for his admiration of the gutsy animal, Cummins says he will accept leadership responsibility without shedding the fun side that has defined him as one of the great personalities of the side.

"There is a time and a place for everything," said the man renowned for his practical jokes.

Starting his seventh season of first class rugby, the No.14 said he was excited about the enthusiasm enveloping a Force side starting a new chapter with fresh coaches, players and officials.

"There is sense of purpose in the squad that and at training that makes me feel excited. I think we might just shock a few people this season," Cummins said.

That certainly wasn't the story last season in a struggling Force backline where Cummins' pace and power was often been wasted out wide.

Cummins said new signing Sias Ebersohn was shaping nicely into the playmaking role at first five eight

http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/rug...-1226562502919

[PeterM]

I can't wait to see the Honey Badger give them hell and I am tipping him to be the competitions leading try scorer

[kipper_mckinnon]

"I think we might just shock a few people this season" - not me HB - got my money on WF to win aussie conference !!!! Bring it on