
Western Force lock away another key Wallaby until 2027
Star flyhalf Ben Donaldson says the lure of a home World Cup and achieving success with the Western Force convinced him to re-sign with Rugby Australia until the end of 2027.
A day after try-scoring machine Carlo Tizzano re-signed with the Force and RA until the end of 2027, Donaldson also put pen to paper.
Donaldson has shone across two seasons at the Force since moving west following the 2023 World Cup.
He won the Force's MVP Nathan Sharpe medal in 2024, and has enjoyed another strong campaign this year, including scoring an after-the-siren game-winning try against Moana Pasifika in round one.
The 27-year-old has played 25 games for the Force, having previously represented the NSW Waratahs 38 times in Super Rugby after debuting in 2020.
Donaldson played nine of the Wallabies' 13 Tests last year, and has pulled on the gold jersey a total of 16 times so far in his international career.
With rival playmaker Noah Lolesio taking his career off-shore, he looms as a key figure in the upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions, as well as for the 2027 home World Cup.
"I've been here two years now and loved my time in WA," Donaldson said.
"We've got a great group of boys at the Force with the core having signed on for several more years, which is exciting about where we can go as a group.
"I'm delighted to be staying in Australian rugby with the Lions Tour later year as well as a Bledisloe Cup here in Perth.
"There's obviously also the lure of the home 2027 World Cup, which is extremely motivating.
"I've been part of the Wallabies squad in recent times and it's a strong group with a good coaching unit, so hopefully I continue to be part of that moving forward with those big games and events to come."
Flanker Tizzano, who has scored a competition-high 12 tries this Super Rugby Pacific season, re-signed with the Force and RA on Thursday.
The 25-year-old was being chased by cashed-up clubs in Japan, but was keen to maximise his representative chances by staying in Australia.
Star flyhalf Ben Donaldson says the lure of a home World Cup and achieving success with the Western Force convinced him to re-sign with Rugby Australia until the end of 2027.
A day after try-scoring machine Carlo Tizzano re-signed with the Force and RA until the end of 2027, Donaldson also put pen to paper.
Donaldson has shone across two seasons at the Force since moving west following the 2023 World Cup.
He won the Force's MVP Nathan Sharpe medal in 2024, and has enjoyed another strong campaign this year, including scoring an after-the-siren game-winning try against Moana Pasifika in round one.
The 27-year-old has played 25 games for the Force, having previously represented the NSW Waratahs 38 times in Super Rugby after debuting in 2020.
Donaldson played nine of the Wallabies' 13 Tests last year, and has pulled on the gold jersey a total of 16 times so far in his international career.
With rival playmaker Noah Lolesio taking his career off-shore, he looms as a key figure in the upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions, as well as for the 2027 home World Cup.
"I've been here two years now and loved my time in WA," Donaldson said.
"We've got a great group of boys at the Force with the core having signed on for several more years, which is exciting about where we can go as a group.
"I'm delighted to be staying in Australian rugby with the Lions Tour later year as well as a Bledisloe Cup here in Perth.
"There's obviously also the lure of the home 2027 World Cup, which is extremely motivating.
"I've been part of the Wallabies squad in recent times and it's a strong group with a good coaching unit, so hopefully I continue to be part of that moving forward with those big games and events to come."
Flanker Tizzano, who has scored a competition-high 12 tries this Super Rugby Pacific season, re-signed with the Force and RA on Thursday.
The 25-year-old was being chased by cashed-up clubs in Japan, but was keen to maximise his representative chances by staying in Australia.
Star flyhalf Ben Donaldson says the lure of a home World Cup and achieving success with the Western Force convinced him to re-sign with Rugby Australia until the end of 2027.
A day after try-scoring machine Carlo Tizzano re-signed with the Force and RA until the end of 2027, Donaldson also put pen to paper.
Donaldson has shone across two seasons at the Force since moving west following the 2023 World Cup.
He won the Force's MVP Nathan Sharpe medal in 2024, and has enjoyed another strong campaign this year, including scoring an after-the-siren game-winning try against Moana Pasifika in round one.
The 27-year-old has played 25 games for the Force, having previously represented the NSW Waratahs 38 times in Super Rugby after debuting in 2020.
Donaldson played nine of the Wallabies' 13 Tests last year, and has pulled on the gold jersey a total of 16 times so far in his international career.
With rival playmaker Noah Lolesio taking his career off-shore, he looms as a key figure in the upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions, as well as for the 2027 home World Cup.
"I've been here two years now and loved my time in WA," Donaldson said.
"We've got a great group of boys at the Force with the core having signed on for several more years, which is exciting about where we can go as a group.
"I'm delighted to be staying in Australian rugby with the Lions Tour later year as well as a Bledisloe Cup here in Perth.
"There's obviously also the lure of the home 2027 World Cup, which is extremely motivating.
"I've been part of the Wallabies squad in recent times and it's a strong group with a good coaching unit, so hopefully I continue to be part of that moving forward with those big games and events to come."
Flanker Tizzano, who has scored a competition-high 12 tries this Super Rugby Pacific season, re-signed with the Force and RA on Thursday.
The 25-year-old was being chased by cashed-up clubs in Japan, but was keen to maximise his representative chances by staying in Australia.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Age
42 minutes ago
- The Age
Paralympic great set for final world titles campaign
Brendan Hall speaks after winning the 400m freestyle multi-class final at the 2025 Australian swimming trials. Loading

Sydney Morning Herald
43 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Paralympic great set for final world titles campaign
Brendan Hall speaks after winning the 400m freestyle multi-class final at the 2025 Australian swimming trials. Loading


West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon suggests local media frenzy over Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera in Adelaide could impact his contract decision
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon is adamant he's 'not losing any sleep' over the looming decision from off-contract star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera after a personal trip to Adelaide in which he was 'terrorised twice' by local media. The South Australian-born 22-year-old, who is bound for All-Australian selection in 2025, is believed to be at the centre of a bidding war between Adelaide and Port Adelaide, with the Saints also hopeful of hanging on to him. His manager, Ben Williams, denied a report suggesting Wanganeen-Milera wouldn't join the Crows due to a racism incident involving former Adelaide captain Taylor Walker in 2021. Wanganeen-Milera has close links with Port players, including Jason Horne-Francis, and the pair were spotted together at a frozen yoghurt shop in Adelaide where Wanganeen-Milera spent the bye week catching up with 'fam' according to Lyon. While there have been reports that Wanganeen-Milera, who has played 75 games with the Saints since his debut in 2022, has issues living in Melbourne, Lyon said the 'melting pot' in Adelaide, which included TV cameras following the young gun at the airport, showed what life could be like if he moved. 'What's interesting is the environment over there,' Lyon said on Tuesday. 'He's been doorstopped twice and terrorised twice (by media). It talks to the intensity over there, getting doorstopped at the airport during the bye. It's interesting how a non-story becomes a story. Clearly it's good to have competitive tension.' Lyon said the Saints were confident the development and support Wanganeen-Milera had been offered at St Kilda and their plans to be a 'great club' were the best way to ensure he remained on a deal that could reach seven figures annually. 'Build it and they will come. Develop our players, support them, make it a safe environment and then at the end of the day you are either good enough to keep them or you're not,' he said. 'I'm not losing too much sleep over it. 'We want to make St Kilda great. We've got a lot of hard work to do over a long period of time.' Lyon was also unmoved by the catch-up with Horne-Francis, a fellow Indigenous star, adamant St Kilda did a lot of work for its own First Nations players. 'The brother boys, they love getting together,' he said. 'We've got Pauly Vandenbergh (AFL diversity pathways manager) coming into the club today who works closely with our First Nations players. 'That's just one aspect of the game.' The Saints will tackle the Western Bulldogs on Thursday night just 52 days after copping a 71-point smashing in round 6. Midfielder Jack Macrae is set to push for selection against his old team after recovering from a punctured lung.