Nick Cummins Exclusive: Honey Badger Targets Meat and Glory at Rugby World Cup | News, Scores, Highl

When news broke that Wallabies and Western Force winger Nick Cummins was to leave for Japan last July, it added yet another disappointing headline for Australian rugby. 

Cummins' reasons for leaving Australia were compelling. One of seven children, two of whom have cystic fibrosis, he was motivated by the news his father Mark Cummins had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. His family badly needed financial support to pay medical bills, and the $300,000 contract on the table was more than he could make at home in Australia.

Australian rugby would miss "the Honey Badger" badly, and there was talk it could cost him a place in the Wallabies' 2015 World Cup squad, but the rugby community understood why Cummins had to go. An outpouring of support followed and off he went to play for the Coca-Cola West Red Sparks in Fukuoka.

Nothing but respect for Cummins. One of seven siblings, two have cystic fibrosis. His father, Mark, has prostate cancer. Finances essential.

Five months later Cummins returned. A deal was brokered with the Red Sparks and Western Force, and hopes reignited that Cummins could be part of Australia's attempts to lift the Webb Ellis Cup in England. 

Meet the Honey Badger. It's a moniker Cummins earned when citing the aggressive nature of the diminutive African mustelid, is remarkably popular in Australia and across the rugby world. He is humble about his fame but enjoys being known by his colourful nickname. 

"I only enjoy it because it's a part of me. I'm not trying to be something I'm not," Cummins told Bleacher Report.

The earnest nature of the Badger is part of what endears him to so many people. He believes that "inside every man there's a yearning to express your wild side" and that "rugby is an outlet for that."

Cummins has a simple philosophy on his rugby career: "When you get out there, you've got to go balls out—not literally, of course."

The wild side of the 15-times-capped Wallaby is evident on the field, where, as David Campese explained, he "looks for contact rather than space."

For him, playing rugby is "like getting out in the bush and getting adventurous; it kick-starts the male side of things."

Is there a point where Nick Cummins ends and the Honey Badger begins?

"They're the same. They're the same and they're not. I sort of flick into one," Cummins said, laughing. "You might say I'm a split personality. Then other times...I sort of click into it when I have to. The person itself is still the same."

Cummins enjoyed his time in Japan, admitting his surprise at the quality. "Yeah, it was different; they're actually very skilful," he said. "They've even got some silky props."

Has his time in Japan made him a better player? "Bloody oath, it's another culture—a whole other style of game. It adds to [my game] massively," he said.

Away from the rugby field, Cummins embraced Japanese life, picking up the language and taking the time to explore away from his Fukuoka base: "Every experience you can get adds to you; it really adds to the mental side of things, too."

Born in the New South Wales town of Port Macquarie, Cummins grew up in Brisbane but remains a Blues man at heart, backing his home state in State of Origin. Now Cummins is back in Australia, but he couldn't help to drag the Force off the bottom of the Super 15 table this season.

His return to action was delayed by off-season surgery on a troublesome ankle, but Cummins is confident he's better than ever: "It's actually got increased range after my little clean-up. It's getting to be better than before."

Scoring a try in his return match was a great start, but Cummins admitted to some butterflies before the match.

"There were a few nerves getting about, but I've played with a lot of these blokes before so it was comforting, in a sense," he said. "I just sort of slotted back in, but I just got the one meat."

As his fans know, "meat" is his way to refer to a try following the Australian tradition of twisting rhyming slang. "Try" becomes "meat pie" and, eventually, just "meat." Cummins' lexicon is filled with such enigmatic turns of phrase.

With the season done, Cummins has now turned his attention to dreams of World Cup glory.

"It's daunting, but it's something I really want to do," he said. "The memories would last forever." 

With the tournament to be held in England, Twickenham will be the site of the final. Said Cummins: "They fill the place with energy, those Pommy bastards." 

If he can help the Wallabies to a record third World Cup, he might switch his attention to Rio 2016. Next year's Olympics will be the first to include rugby sevens, a discipline where Cummins has previous experience. He was the Aussies' top try scorer in 2007. 

Is the chance to claim Olympic gold tempting to him?

"I would bloody love to," he said. "Maybe I'll drop a few kegs [kilograms] and get into it, but it's tough. A tough style of rugby. You've got to be mentally tough. I'd love to have the opportunity. I'll put my hand up, but for now I'm focusing on this year."

Longer term, Cummins admits he would consider a switch to rugby league under the right circumstances. Years ago he was signed up to play for South Brisbane, but despite being "bloody keen to get amongst it," an opportunity to play club rugby with Randwick took him to Sydney instead. 

Now we find him in Perth, and potentially in England later this summer. Where the journey of the Honey Badger goes next nobody can say for sure, but we can guarantee it will be quite the adventure and that meat pies will be eaten.

Sam Rooke is Bleacher Report's Team Stream Lead for Australia. Follow him on Twitter @SamRooke89.

ncG1vNJzZmianJqupLTEq6meqJ%2BnwW%2BvzqZmmqqknrCtsdJoaWxxZGyGd3nNopqkZZOquq61zaxknrCTocK0tdWeZKGnnprGbq7AnZ6eql2prrOzxK2qZqWVlsFurc2dZKCkn6fGbq3TZqmun5Kueri70aWbZpulpQ%3D%3D