The Western Force is excited to confirm the addition of second-rower Kahurangi Sturmey and inside-centre Atawhai Hotene ahead of the 2026 Swyftx Super Rugby Women’s season.
The experienced pair are the latest additions to the Force’s 2026 squad, linking up with training last month.
The pair take the Force’s 2026 Super W squad to 26 members, with the side’s campaign commences in under two months, starting on Saturday 13 June away to Fijian Drua.
Sturmey, 26, has experience at Super Rugby Aupiki level with Hurricanes Poua across three seasons, along with 35 games with Manawatu Turbos in New Zealand’s Farah Palmer Cup.
The 180cm forward can play lock or flank and joins the Force following a playing stint in Ireland with Balbriggan RFC.
Force Super W head coach Dylan Parsons said: “Kahu has been really impressive. She’s a very experienced player who has played a lot of Super Rugby Aupiki for the Poua and FPC for Manawatu Cyclones.
“She’s also very involved in the rugby community, as a referee and coach. She’s very passionate about giving back to the game. Those values have shown as soon as she’s come into our environment where she’s brought a lot.
“Kahu has just come in from her first overseas rugby opportunity in Ireland. She’s played a lot of rugby in the last 18 months and we can see those qualities. She’s has picked up our game very quickly.
“She offers flexibility, where she could possibly play lock or back row. She’s a good jumping option, with a good engine to be an 80-minute player.”
Hotene who is also born in New Zealand, played in the Farah Palmer Cup with Otago Spirit from 2022 to 2024, clocking up 13 appearances and previously has a touch rugby background, playing for New Zealand (Touch Blacks) in the 2019 World Cup.
The 27-year-old, who can play inside-centre or fly-half, played last season at Fortescue Premier Grade level with UWA, before linking up with the Force for October’s North vs South Women’s Series.
“Atawhai is another positive story coming out of the North vs South Series,” Parsons said. “She spent time in our environment last year, where she showed her flexibility to play numerous roles and that she was skillful with her touch rugby background.
“She’d played for Otago in FPC, so we knew she’d played at a decent level in 15s as well. She had a really good club season with UWA and that progressed into the North vs South Series where she was excellent at inside-centre.
“Based on how she performed in that series, she earned herself a contract into our 2026 squad. It’s a good story about those stages of the pathway allowing players to come into our environment, having consistency in training and earning their way into Super W. We’re excited to see what she can do.”
Kahurangi Sturmey
DOB: 27/4/1999
Position: Lock/back-rower
Atawhai Hotene
DOB: 19/10/1998
Position: Inside-centre/fly-half
2026 Western Force Swyftx Super Rugby Women’s squad
Katalina Amosa, Halley Derera, Ai Dickson, Nami Dickson, Zoe Elliott, Grace Freeman, Atawhai Hotene, Nicole Ledington, Michaela Leonard, Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Ngamihi Monk, Sera Naiqama, Alapeta Ngauamo, Hannah Palelei, Ella Pietsch, Allana Sikimeti, Cecilia Smith, Anneka Stephens, Kahurangi Sturmey, Sofaia Talemaira, Pia Tapsell, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Kylah-Rey Tuheke Kupa, Braxton Walker, Taylor Waterson, Sammy Wood
