Oliver Hoskins is no stranger to facing some of the best players in the world, in front of big crowds of fans – but now, for one last time, he gets to do that at home.
From early days at Southern Lions and Cottesloe, to debuting for the Western Force and making the move to Premiership Rugby in the United Kingdom, Ollie Hoskins has always had an immense love for rugby.
It’s driven him from a young age, with jerseys hanging on the wall of Kieran Longbottom, Ben McCalman and David Pocock, watching his brothers take to the field. It’s driven him into the Western Force Academy, their first squad, and on to London Irish and the Saracens. It’s driven him to represent his country.
And now, it’s that love that’s lead him back home, to play his last professional rugby game in the Starting XVs for the Western Force in their match against the British & Irish Lions.
“It feels really nostalgic, it feels like the right thing to do,” Hoskins said. “I think I made the right decision taking this opportunity.”
“I left ten years ago, and I didn’t think I’d have the chance to wear the jersey again, so it’s been a really incredible experience for me to be able to come back home and play my last game in front of a home crowd, in front of my family.
“To experience the environment again, pull on a jersey that means a lot to me. It was where my love of rugby was born, in this jersey, and it means a lot to be able to finish up wearing it again.”
Hoskins’ journey with rugby began at aged 4, down at Southern Lions. From watching his brothers from the sidelines, to taking the field himself, Hoskins’ love of the game began in the RugbyWA junior system. After a brief stint at Nedlands, he found his home at Cottesloe from Under 14s, in addition to playing PSA First XVs for Scotch College.
“[We] won the Grand Final in Under 14s with Cottesloe, I still remember that.”
It was in the local system that he had some of his greatest memories, citing not just his experience winning a title in under 14s, but also key school competitions and family achievements.
“I remember playing Scotch v. Hale. It was a curtain raiser for a Western Force game at Subiaco Oval. I remember we beat Hale, and that was a really, really big deal, that was a great one.
“Playing with my brothers at Cottesloe was always amazing, I was really lucky I got to play First XVs at Scotch with my middle brother, Sebastian, and then played Premier Grade with Tobias [Hoskins, who played his 250th game for the club in 2024], he’s still kicking around.”
He was a part of age grade state teams, which continued to foster that love, and build connections with other players who went on to make careers in the game, including Kane Koteka, who’s junior journey started at Wests Scarborough, and Kyle Godwin, who played at Associates.
“I have some great memories and friends that I still keep in touch with… I played with those guys for years and years through the age grades, so it was just incredible.”
He graduated into the Western Force’s wider training squad in 2012, before working his way up into the Western Force’d main squad in 2014. It was during this time, as well Hoskins took to the field for Perth Spirit in the National Rugby Championship, in addition to having represented Australia in the Under 20s side in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
“I managed to work my way up and play 26 games for the Force before I left, and it was a dream come true. I was a fan before I was a player and it was my dream,” he said, recalling the jerseys on the wall.
“... It was a proper dream come true for me.”
Hoskins made the big move to play Premiership Rugby in the United Kingdom for London Irish, where he played from 2016 until 2023, before joining the Saracens – an opportunity which provided a whole new style of play, and some whole new lessons to learn.
“It was an amazing time, I loved my time in the UK, and I’m going back there to live after this,” Hoskins shared.
“My time with London Irish and the Saracens was incredible, it taught me so much. The love I grew here for the Force, I grew that for my club over the London Irish, I loved playing there so much.
“It’s a different style of rugby... There’s some brilliant players over there, and you play a lot of rugby. I was playing 25 to 30 games a year, it’s a lot of footy and it really helps your development. So yeah, I fell in love with the process over there, but I’m so glad to be back for this last little while.”
In 2021, Hoskins received his first call up to the Wallabies – something he’d been dreaming of since childhood. Whilst he only played one cap, the achievement was a career landmark, etching his name further into the Australian rugby history books.
“I remember watching my brother play, he was Under 10s, and I was maybe 7 or 8 on the sidelines, and I remember saying to my dad: “I want to play for the Wallabies one day,” and I did in 2021. It was 1 cap, but I achieved that, I ticked that goal off, and that all started at Southern Lions where my love of the game grew.”
While his journey with professional Rugby Union in coming to an end, Hoskins shared that, if talking to his younger self starting out at Southern Lions and Cottesloe, he’s tell him not to change a thing. Something that’s taken him all around the world, and now back home for one last time, it all started with his love of the game.
“I was always a player and still am a player that always plays with love and passion, that’s been the thing that drove me,” he said.
“I think when I first started for the Force, I absolutely loved every single second of it. The second I got into the Academy when I was 14, the Force and rugby was my life, I threw everything at it. Probably almost too much – I didn’t go to Leavers after I finished High School because I didn’t want to miss Academy training, I was all in.
“It’s opened up so many doors for me and given me an unbelievable life, and it all started at Southern Lions when I was four.
“So I would tell him not to change a thing, just commit to it as much as I did and love it as much as I did, and finish up here and have one last hit out with as much passion as you’ve had your whole career with.”
After a legendary career, Hoskins will get his one last hit out in front of a home crowd at Saturday’s clash with the British & Irish Lions. Back in the city where it all started, the Perth-born superstar will get one last chance to show Western Australia, and the world, his love for the greatest game of all.
The Western Force will take on the British & Irish Lions in a historic clash at Optus Stadium, with the sides meeting for the first time in 12 years. Kickoff is set for 5:45PM AWST, with tickets available via Ticketmaster.
