Nick Taylor
January 23, 2015, 7:53 am

Cult winger Nick Cummins will miss Western Force's opening two Super Rugby matches because he has to play in a crucial promotion-relegation game for Japanese club Red Sparks.
Red Sparks were only prepared to release Cummins back to the Force for the 2015 season once his commitments in Japan were over.
It has been known for some weeks Cummins would have to play in the match against Kubota on February 14, the day before the Force clash in Sydney with NSW Waratahs, the reigning Super Rugby champions.
Force coach Michael Foley has confirmed Cummins will miss the second-round game against the Reds in Brisbane, but could return for the third game, at home to the Hurricanes.
The Japanese regular season ended a couple of weeks ago and in the break Cummins returned to Perth for minor ankle surgery, but Foley said it would not keep him out of games.
Foley has confidence in Cummins' likely replacement for the first two games, either Marcel Brache or new signing Mitchell Scott, and that Cummins would slip seamlessly back into the Force system.
"For a long time we weren't sure whether we were going to have Nick back. We prepared for the worst so it's a real bonus that he'll be back," Foley said.
Meanwhile, Foley has been preparing his side for today's pre-season trial against the Brumbies at UWA Sports Park.
"The boys have trained very, very well," Foley said. "There was a small group of guys that set the bar a bit higher and everyone has responded to that."