Wounded winger a blow for Force

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Western Force winger Nick Cummins is set to miss more than half of the 2010 Super 14 season after undergoing surgery to fix damaged cartilage in his ankle.

Cummins' dream call-up to the Wallabies' Spring tour training squad in October turned into a nightmare when a teammate accidentally landed on the back of his ankle during a contact drill.

The 22-year-old speedster, famous amongst the Force faithful for his glorious mullet, recently underwent surgery but is expected to be sidelined for a further four or five months.

The 14-round home-and-away season kicks off on February 12, meaning Cummins will struggle to make it back before the Force's round eight clash with the Stormers on April 2.

"Nick has ruptured ligaments in his foot, and that will take time to heal," Force doctor Mark De Cruz said.

"The surgery went well, so we are hopeful that Nick will be available in approximately four to five months."

The loss of Cummins is a bitter blow to the Force, who lost Matt Giteau, Scott Staniforth and Drew Mitchell from last season's star-studded backline.

Cummins said his brief taste of the Wallabies would motivate him during his lengthy rehabilitation.

"It's always disappointing to have an injury, but now that I have had a sniff of the highest level I am hungrier than ever," Cummins said.

"I will be working hard with the medical staff to hasten the healing and be very thorough in following my rehabilitation program."