Cummins caught in contract catch-22

Nick Taylor,
The West Australian
August 29, 2013, 6:48 am

Western Force and Wallabies star Nick Cummins is keen to commit to the Super Rugby club but his playing future is in limbo.

Both the Force and Australian Rugby Union have tabled offers and opened talks with Cummins, while the Force have spoken to the ARU about a Wallabies top-up for the winger.

Cummins, who will be out of contract in December, has received an offer from another Australian Super Rugby franchise and there is interest from overseas, including Japan.

Earlier this year, French Top 14 side Montpellier made an offer that the Force could not have matched.

But because Cummins wants to stay with the Force and establish himself as a Wallaby, he has put all other offers on the backburner and by not chasing the big money international deals, doors are closing as overseas seasons have either started or are about to get under way.

Cummins' manger Carl McDonald said offers had been tabled but he had only had informal talks with the ARU, Force management and coach Michael Foley. Further talks had not yet been scheduled.

"Nick's first priority is securing a place in the Wallabies Test side," McDonald said.

The Force are keen to retain Cummins, who has become a fan favourite and cult figure with his self-proclaimed honey badger nickname, but chief executive Mark Sinderberry is on a holiday this week and talks will not restart until he returns.

It is understood Cummins is chasing an upgrade heading into 2014, but the Force would find it hard to fund his initial request because of financial constraints.

He is in a catch-22 situation. Under ARU policy, players must be contracted and playing with a Super Rugby franchise or in a domestic competition to be considered for national selection.

Unless a player confirms they have struck a deal in Australia they will not open discussions with them about a Wallabies deal.

Cummins and James O'Connor are the Force's two big signing targets for next season.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...ract-catch-22/

old news ;)

If Cummins wants to secure a Wallabies top up quickly he needs to sign with ANY other Super team. He'll get old and grey waiting for the ARU to give a force player a top up.

I thought this sort of cr@p was going to be changed by Pulver.

Did anyone ask about this at the forum? It's been going on for years.

Did anyone ask about the payments for ground hire and whether there was any penalty applied?

Which was the province in question?
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Originally Posted by shasta

Did anyone ask about the payments for ground hire and whether there was any penalty applied?

Which was the province in question?
Posted via Mobile Device

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I'd assume that they couldn't give an answer other then "It wasn't us"

So when can we expect these press releases?

Wonder how much the top up is worth to HB

My understanding is the Reds are chasing him, and his contract expectations fall into the 'fantasy' range, that has been the biggest hold up, the enormous value he is putting on himself, and consequently playing Reds off against Force. He does want to be a Wallaby again, Reds or Force doesn't matter to him too much, as long as his expectation for the money is realised by one of them. Overseas windows are shut to him now.

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Originally Posted by jargan83

I'd assume that they couldn't give an answer other then "It wasn't us"

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Probably right. The media are very tame on this stuff. They seem pick up material from this site and publish it as their own, though seemingly not if it's detrimental to their target audiences' favoured teams. Perhaps some of us could start to ask these questions. In the age of radio streaming on the net it's possible to ring into sports talk back shows in the ES it just might make some waves.

The Reds are on the slide; the Force are on the rise - he'd be crazy to go back east! ;)

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Originally Posted by GAFFA

So when can we expect these press releases?

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From the forum: This issue is till in negotiation with Nick and EWF as he would like to stay with the Force.

I went searching to see if I could find what his current wallaby top-up is, and instead found this thread:
http://twf.com.au/showthread.php?t=21169

It seems so long ago:

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... Cameron Shepherd, Scott Staniforth, Matt Giteau, James O'Connor, Drew Mitchell and Cummins,

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hell of a backline, and explains this:

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The Force, six points adrift of the top four...

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And while some things change, some stay the same:

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the Force's 39-7 demolition of the Queensland Reds last week...

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:) :)

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Originally Posted by shasta

Probably right. The media are very tame on this stuff. They seem pick up material from this site and publish it as their own, though seemingly not if it's detrimental to their target audiences' favoured teams. Perhaps some of us could start to ask these questions. In the age of radio streaming on the net it's possible to ring into sports talk back shows in the ES it just might make some waves.

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I'm not usually one for the tin foil hat but had the Force been the implicated team it would have already been in the media.

The Rebels would have been let off because the ARU gave them every advantage they didn't give the Force.

ACT Brumbies? Would be a long shot

I have no doubt that it was NSW or QLD

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Originally Posted by jargan83

I'm not usually one for the tin foil hat but .....

ACT Brumbies? Would be a long shot

I have no doubt that it was NSW or QLD

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You're probably right. The Brumbies would have their ground hire paid by the Navy or a University. So their under-table payments are probably made through an out-sourced contractor. :P

No tin-foil hat required to see the Force have been shafted many times over the years.
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