No.8 Ben McCalman has quickly become a regular for the Force and the Wallabies © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Ben McCalman

Tournaments/Tours: Super Rugby

Teams: Australia | Force

Western Force No. 8 and rising Wallabies star Ben McCalman has become the latest player to pledge his future to the Australian cause by re-signing with the ARU until 2013 on Friday.

McCalman's retention follows a day after fellow Force and Wallabies forward Nathan Sharpe extended his stay for one year.

There the similarities end between McCalman and veteran Sharpe, with the 23-year-old just now starting out on his journey at the highest level of rugby having broken through to claim a regular Wallabies berth in 2010.

McCalman proved to be somewhat of a lucky charm for his country last year. The loose forward's maiden starting role in a test for Australia came in the historic 41-39 win over South Africa at Bloemfontein and his most recent international was November's record 56-19 win over then reigning Six Nations champions France in Paris.

Having featured heavily for the Force in his debut Super Rugby season, he played in Australia's last eight tests of 2010, starting seven.

Like the 11 other Wallabies to commit to the ARU this year, McCalman said he was excited to be a part of what is shaping up to be a successful era for Australia as Robbie Deans' yonug squad continues to develop together.

"It's obviously a really big year of test football," he said. "I think the group of players that are coming through will mean a strong future for the Wallabies. To be part of that would be fantastic and I'll be working hard to ensure I can make a contribution to that success.

"I was really honoured to be given an opportunity last season and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of test rugby. To be playing alongside and against the biggest names in the game is something that every player wants to achieve."

Meanwhile, prop Toby Smith and scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow have re-signed with the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise until the end of 2013.

Both Smith and Kerr-Barlow were members of the 2008 New Zealand under-20 team that won the inaugural Junior World Cup, progressing to play for Waikato in the national provincial championship and then to the full Chiefs squad in 2010.