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Western Force and Wallabies number eight Ben McCalman has re-signed with Australian Rugby, becoming the second man after Waratahs half Bernard Foley to sign a flexible deal.
The backrower has signed on for three more years, keeping him in Australia until the end of 2018. He will also remain at the Force for those three seasons.
As part of the flexible deal, he will be eligible to play a season in Japanese domestic rugby after the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
McCalman will then return for the 2016 Super Rugby season with the Force.
ARU CEO Bill Pulver said earlier this year that it was likely flexible contracts would be capped at around five or six key players, making the retention of McCalman an interesting signing.
McCalman said it was important for him to remain eligible for the Wallabies, and he was keen to repay the favours the Force had done for his career.
“The Western Force gave me an opportunity early in my career and I have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences here in Perth over the past six years,” McCalman said.
“We’ve made giant strides on and off the field over the past few seasons and it was important for me that I continued to be part of the journey. I feel it is the best place for me to play my Rugby and continue to develop as a player over the next three years.
“I’d also like to thank the Australian Rugby Union for the opportunity to continue my Rugby here in Perth. I’m excited about the opportunity to play a season in Japan at the end of the Rugby World Cup, before focusing exclusively on my Rugby in Australia until at least the end of 2018.”
McCalman said his sole focus was on earning Wallabies selection with the Force.
“I’m really happy to be staying here in Perth for another three years,” he said.
“It’s great to stay with the club that gave me my first opportunity, but it’s also exciting to be a part of a young team as we continue to develop.
“We had a strong season last year, and while we’ve fallen away a bit this season in terms of results, we’re a young team and it was always going to take a few years for us to reach our full potential.
“That’s a great challenge for us though, and I’m really excited to be here for another three seasons and be able to contribute to reaching that potential.
“Over the past three seasons, the squad’s remained really tight and there’s still a lot of belief within the squad that we can play finals rugby in seasons to come – which I think we’re capable of doing.”
“Personally, I’m really happy where I am and I think this is the best place for me to play my rugby,” he said.
“I feel like I’ve really developed, particularly over the last year or two, and I feel like I’m playing some of my best rugby.
“I’ve learnt a lot from the coaches we’ve had through here over the years. I feel like I’m learning a lot from Foles [Michael Foley] and our coaching staff here at the moment, and I know that there are still areas of my game I can continue to improve and develop.”
“It’s no secret that everyone wants to be part of the World Cup squad, but the only thing you can control at the moment is your own form at Super Rugby,” he said.
“We’ve had a challenging season to date, but there is a strong resolve amongst the squad to turn things around, and I’m really looking forward to getting that started with an important game against the Brumbies on Friday night.”
McCalman played every minute of all four matches against Wales, France, Ireland and England in last year’s end of year tour.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.