Cummins back in the frame for Force
Nick Taylor
February 24, 2015, 7:08 am
Cult winger Nick Cummins is back with the Western Force and looking to play himself into the Rugby World Cup.
But he will need to convince Wallabies coach Michael Cheika he can hit the form that brought him national selection before he left for Japan.
"He is on our radar, 100 per cent, there's no doubt about that, but he has to prove himself like every player," Cheika said.
"It's a form-related issue. There are a few ifs and buts and who pushes through is the players' responsibility.
"Everyone likes Cummins for a lot of reasons but as a coach you like him because he's 100 per cent every time he plays."
Cummins has not spoken to Cheika since he played for the Barbarians at Twickenham last November against the Wallabies.
"You have to do your speaking on the field, it's not one of those things that you can call up and get into the mix," Cummins said.
"It all comes down to performance. Anything can happen ... it's always a battle.
"If I'm good enough hopefully I'll get a gig, hopefully I can bust into the group."
Cummins trained with the Force yesterday for the first time since joining Red Sparks at the end of the last Super Rugby season. He has not played for about six weeks and last month had floating bone removed from his left ankle.
He will have to prove his fitness before coach Michael Foley includes him for Friday night's clash with the Hurricanes at nib Stadium.
"Bloody oath I'd be keen to play," Cummins said.
"I've got a few run-throughs, rehab-type stuff, to see if I'll be right for this week. If not, then it will be next week."
The Japanese club has released Cummins for eight months with his return underwritten by a local syndicate who put together a salary top-up package.
Foley is set to put local club prop Joe Savage on stand-by for Friday night's game.
Savage, who made two appearances for the Chiefs in 2009, had an excellent NRC campaign with Perth Spirit and Foley said "he knows the system, so good to go".
Foley needs to find a long-term front-row replacement for Francois van Wyk, who was ruled out for the year after tearing a pectoral muscle against the Queensland Reds last Saturday.
Pek Cowan (neck) will be monitored this week.
Brynard Stander is likely to start at open-side flanker with both Matt Hodgson and Chris Alcock injured.
Academy members Kane Koteka or Richard Hardwick, both untried at Super Rugby level, could be called up.
DID YOU KNOW? 2 The number of appearances Joe Savage made for the Chiefs in 2009
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