The Western Force's 37-player squad for the 2026 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific season has today been revealed, with eight new signings and two Academy prospects complementing a strong core group.
The announcement comes with the Force commencing pre-season training this week, with off-season recruits George Bridge, Feao Fotuaika and Darby Lancaster among those to hit the track.
Bridge arrives at the Force having earned 19 caps for the All Blacks, including playing at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He is a six-time Super Rugby champion with the Crusaders.
Tonga international Fotuaika and Wallabies speedster Lancaster are joined by ex-Reds prop Sef Fa’agase, WA-born-and-bred scrum-half Nathan Hastie and Argentina internationals Agustin Moyano and Franco Molina as new additions to the squad.
Los Pumas duo Moyano and Molina will link up with the Force in January following their international commitments, with both currently away in the United Kingdom for three Argentina Tests this month.
Vaiolini Ekuasi, Will Harris, Tiaan Tauakipulu and Lopeti Faifua’s contracts have been all extended with additional year options taken up by the Club.
Australia U20s utility back Boston Fakafanua and 2025 Rising Star Albert Alcock have been elevated from the Fortescue Academy into the Super Rugby squad.
Fly-half Alex Harford, prop Josh Smith, back-rower Titi Nofoagatotoa and 95-cap Wallaby Kurtley Beale all join on full contracts after being on injury cover contracts last season.
The Force retained the core of its 2025 squad, headlined by Wallabies Carlo Tizzano, Ben Donaldson, Tom Robertson and Hamish Stewart plus Bayley Kuenzle and Joondalup Brothers product Marley Pearce who have all re-committed on new deals.
Captain Jeremy Williams, hooker Nic Dolly and back-rower Nick Champion de Crespigny - who recently captained the Wallabies - were among those to extend their stays in the west during the 2025 season too.
Force head coach Simon Cron said: “The last few seasons have been a process to build our squad from a Global Rapid Rugby group into a Super Rugby squad which takes time due to the nature of contracts. For the first time in a long time, we’ve been able to do that, keeping the core group together which will set us up for our best chance at success.
“Now that we’ve got that strong core player group, we’ve been able to be more fire-hose focused on recruitment rather than sprinkler, targeting specific players and positions. As a result, the additional eight signings will complement that squad.”
Cron was also excited about the benefits of continuity within the squad, as the leadership group and coaches drive individual growth and development with a view to team success.
“Continuity in personnel means that the standards and expectations that we’ve been driving internally become simpler to own within the group,” Cron said. “That allows our leaders to take over, drive that and instill that in our new players.”
The following players will also spent time in pre-season with the Force as train and trials: Luke Aiken, Taj Annan, Ollie Barrett, Jack Daly, Gus Farnan, Chlayton Frans, Max Johnson, Bradley Kuhn, Justin Landman, Ryan McGloin, Henry Palmer, Jackson Ropata, Max Sawers and Tamarangi Tunui.
Aiken, Barrett, Landman, McGloin, Sawers and Tunui all get their opportunities coming up from the Fortescue Academy.
Western Force 2026 SRP squad
Forwards
Props
Sef Fa'agase, Feao Fotuaika, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Marley Pearce, Tom Robertson, Josh Smith, Tiaan Tauakipulu
Hookers
Albert Alcock, Nic Dolly Brandon Paenga-Amosa
Locks
Lopeti Faifua, Franco Molina, Darcy Swain, Jeremy Williams
Back-rowers
Nick Champion de Crespigny, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Will Harris, Kane Koteka, Titi Nofoagatotoa, Jeremy Williams
Backs
Scrum-halves
Agustin Moyano, Nathan Hastie, Doug Philipson, Henry Robertson
Fly-halves
Max Burey, Ben Donaldson, Alex Harford
Midfielders
Boston Fakafanua, Bayley Kuenzle, Divad Palu, Hamish Stewart
Outside backs
Kurtley Beale, George Bridge, Mac Grealy, Darby Lancaster, Ronan Leahy, Dylan Pietsch
Western Force 2026 coaching staff
Head coach: Simon Cron
Assistant coaches: James Stannard (assistant coach - backs), Brad Harris (defence coach), Craig Dunlea (forwards coach)
