The Western Force is thrilled to confirm the contract extension of head coach Simon Cron for the 2027 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific season, offering stability following a phase of laying the foundations for success.
Cron has led the Force for the past three-and-a-half years, arriving in Perth in late 2022 during a period of transition for the Club returning to Super Rugby out of the Global Rapid Rugby era.
Under Cron’s guidance, the Force has evolved internally, underlined by a growing contingent of Wallabies players within the squad, with 10 capped in 2025, aiding the Club’s ability to recruit and attract talent.
The Force has become a Club players want to join, with the likes of Carlo Tizzano, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Harry Potter, Hamish Stewart and Jeremy Williams earning their Wallabies debuts since linking up with the Force program.
The Club hasn’t secured an elusive maiden finals berth during Cron’s tenure, but put in place the foundations to achieve that, with the side still in contention in 2026.
On a week-to-week basis, the side’s performances in 2026 have displayed genuine improvement, with the ability to compete with all teams, highlighted by a points difference of only minus 40.
During his time at the Force, Cron has continued to strive to develop his own coaching skills, working as Australia A head coach in Japan in October last year, along with a stint as AUNZ Invitational XV assistant coach alongside Les Kiss during the British and Irish Lions tour.
Force CEO Niamh O’Connor said the Club’s focus remains firmly on continuing to build on the foundations already put in place, with stability, continuity, competitiveness and cohesion critical to the next phase of the Western Force journey.
“We’re delighted to confirm Simon Cron’s extension through to 2027,” O’Connor said.
“This decision is grounded in stability and continuity, which we see as incredibly important for our Club and rugby in Western Australia, particularly as we head into a World Cup cycle.
“Over the past three-and-a-half years, Simon and the broader rugby program have worked incredibly hard to evolve this Club from the Global Rapid Rugby period into a competitive Super Rugby environment capable of genuinely competing week-to-week.
“A huge amount of work has gone into building the foundations that sit underneath performance in particular our squad, staff, systems, standards, culture and overall environment. Those things take time and consistency to build properly for long-term sustainability.
“As a Club, we believe strongly in backing the plan and the people who have helped put those foundations in place. High performance growth is rarely linear, but we are seeing real progress in the competitiveness and cohesion of the group.
“The development of our Wallabies contingent is a strong example of that, with players like Carlo Tizzano, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Hamish Stewart and Jeremy Williams all growing their games and launching international careers within our environment.
“The recent intended extension to a long-term Super Rugby Participation Agreement has also given the Club greater stability off the field, which is important for our players, staff and wider program.
“Continuity is really important in professional sport. It matters for recruitment, retention, player development and creating an environment where people can perform at their best.
“We’re determined to continue backing what we’ve built and maintain that stability as we continue pushing towards something significant for this Club and our community with the Force now in a position to achieve something historic as we chase our maiden Super Rugby finals appearance.”
Force head coach Simon Cron said he was excited to continue the journey at the Force, echoing the Club’s view that the foundations and systems now in place are creating the stability and cohesion needed for long-term success.
“There’s been a huge amount of work done over the past three-and-a-half years to build the environment, standards and culture within the Club,” Cron said.
“A lot of that work happens behind the scenes, but it’s important work if you want to build a program that can sustain success over time.
“There’s a really strong feel within this playing group at the moment. The connection between the players and staff is strong and there’s genuine belief within the environment.
“Now it’s about continuing to keep that group together, maintaining continuity and cohesion, and driving consistent performances week in and week out.
“With 2027 being a World Cup year, stability becomes even more important. We’ve got a number of players with genuine Wallabies aspirations and our role as coaches is to create the best possible environment for them to grow and perform at that level."
When discussing his motivation for extending, Cron pointed to unfinished business and a connection and loyalty to his players and staff around him.
“When it came to extending, there’s definitely a sense of unfinished business. We’ve worked hard to put strong foundations in place and there’s a real belief about where this group can go.
“There’s also a deep connection and loyalty to the players and staff who have committed so much to building this Club. Everyone here is incredibly driven to achieve success together and that’s what continues to motivate and excite me.”
Western Force club captain Jeremy Williams said Cron’s extension provides important continuity and stability for the playing group as the Club continues to build.
"It's awesome to have Crono re-committing to the club for another year," Williams said.
"He's been immense for our group and the development he's brought to the Club in his tenure both on and off the field has been awesome.
"He creates stability for the club and he's the man for the job."
