Latest news with #Force
West Australian
3 hours ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Western Force prop Tom Robertson wins Nathan Sharpe Medal, centre Trilleen Pomare claims Rebecca Clough Medal
Western Force prop Tom Robertson has marked an incredible comeback season by claiming the Nathan Sharpe Medal — the club's highest individual men's honour. It came as women's stalwart and captain Trilleen Pomare won the Rebecca Clough Medal for their best Super W player at the Force's annual awards night. After missing last season through a combination of a torn ACL and study sabbatical at Oxford University, Robertson produced an excellent first year back with the Force. He became the first prop to win the award, which is voted on a 3-2-1 basis by players after each game, finishing on 267 votes ahead of winger Harry Potter (241) and Carlo Tizzano (200), while locks Darcy Swain (196) and captain Jeremy Williams (136) rounded out the top five. A natural loosehead prop, Robertson started every game at tighthead and never once looked out of place, while consistently putting up startling defensive numbers. He finished on 197 tackles for the season, which was second in Super Rugby only to teammate Tizzano heading into the final round of the year. He also scored a memorable, breakaway try against the Red in round seven. The 30 year-old will surely be in Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt's squad for the British and Irish Lions tour, and will be hoping to add to his 30 Test caps. Force coach Simon Cron hailed Robertson's impact this season. 'He has been the rock in the team this year. He's played the most amount of minutes as a front-row forward in the whole competition, which is testament to his attitude and preparation. He's got an unmatched work rate, tackle count and effective involvements. 'He's done an incredible job having to play tighthead prop for us, especially when he's a specialist loosehead. No one else could've done what he's done and we're thrilled to see that recognised.' WA women's rugby royalty Rebecca Clough was in attendance to present her medal to inside centre Pomare, who has missed just one Force game since Super W's inception in 2018 and has been captain since 2020. Pomare had yet another fruitful season, highlighted by her finishing in the league's top 10 for successful tackles and dominant tackles, while also continuing to punish defences with the ball in hand. She pipped back-rower Anneka Stephens to the award, finishing on 74 votes to Stephens' 71, while emerging local Tamika Jones finished third. Force Super W head coach Dylan Parsons said Pomare's 2025 was one of her best seasons and she was a worthy winner. 'She came into the season in a really good position. She was very motivated for the team and herself to do well, and because of that we've seen some really good performances from her throughout the whole season,' he said. 'When things aren't going well, she's the first one to step up and try to make something happen. Trill leads through grit and determination. Pomare was also voted member's Super W MVP, while homegrown Wallaby Tizzano capped a similarly superb season by winning the members' Super Rugby Pacific MVP for the second straight year. Back-rowers Nick Champion de Crespigny and Stephens won the Force man and woman awards respectively, awarded to the players who best embody the Force spirit on and off the field as judged by the coaches. Emerging hooker Albert Alcock and fly-half Grace Freeman won the Matt Hodgson and Debby Carley rising star awards, while innovation and sustainability manager Anton Zackey won the Adrian Blacker award, which recognises an off-field member who upholds and instills the club's values. Nathan Sharpe medal top 10 1. Tom Robertson (267 votes) 2. Harry Potter (241) 3. Carlo Tizzano (200) 4. Darcy Swain (196) 5. Jeremy Williams (136) 6. Nick Champion de Crespigny (115) 7. Ben Donaldson (87) 8. Marley Pearce (86) 9. Kane Koteka (78) 10. Hamish Stewart (78) Rebecca Clough medal top 5 1. Trilleen Pomare (74 votes) 2. Anneka Stephens (71) 3. Tamika Jones (41) 4. Pia Tapsell (34) 5. Ashley Marsters (25)
West Australian
18 hours ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Western Force lock and former World Cup Wallaby Sam Carter calls time on 14-year career
Western Force lock Sam Carter has called time on his decorated 14-year career, with the former Wallabies second-rower to potentially play his last professional game against the British and Irish Lions. The 35 year-old informed his Force team-mates prior to last weekend's game against the Waratahs, but will be available for selection for next month's game against the Lions at Optus Stadium. Carter appeared in 10 games across his two seasons with the Force, but played almost 190 professional matches across almost a decade at the top level of the game. It included 16 caps for the Wallabies and included a Rugby World Cup runners-up medal after representing Australia at the 2015 tournament where they made the final. Carter also played 132 Super Rugby games, 122 of them with the Brumbies from 2011-2019 before he spent five years in Europe with Ulster and Leicester Tigers. Carter, who is the father of two girls with wife Maddie, said the time felt right to walk away from the sport. 'It's been an incredible journey, full of unforgettable experiences and great memories. Now feels like the right time to move on and begin a new chapter,' he said. 'Reflecting on my career, I feel incredibly grateful to have been part of some amazing teams: the Brumbies, Ulster, Leicester and now the Force. 'It's the staff and players I've had the privilege of working with that have made this journey so special.' Carter said he was looking forward to the next phase of his life with his young family following next month's Force-Lions game. 'I want to thank the whole Force organisation for welcoming me back from overseas and giving me the opportunity to finish my rugby career back in Australia,' he said. 'I want to thank my parents for fostering my love of rugby from an early age. Most of all, I would like to thank my wife Maddie, who has supported me every step of the way since the very beginning. 'I'm really keen to be involved in the Lions match later this month. The British and Irish Lions are one of the things that make rugby so special and unique. 'After that, my family and I are planning to take some time off to reassess what the next chapter looks like for us.' Force head coach Simon Cron was full of praise for Carter and his impact at the club over the past year. 'He's been an amazing addition to the team and the club. His leadership, maturity, rugby brains and knowledge have contributed a lot to the organisation. 'He's been a pleasure to coach and a real legend of a man.'
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Andor Season 2: Star Wars' boldest story returns
For a spinoff of a film that itself was a spinoff from a franchise built on the spectacle of lightsabers and the supernatural powers of the Force, it is pleasantly surprising that the second season of Tony Gilroy's Andor once again sidesteps the toy and merchandise-selling facet of Star Wars to tell an actual story. In doing so, Andor proves for the second time why it is currently the best offering on television and the franchise as a whole. Picking up a year after the events in the first season, the thief-turned-spy Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) continues hurtling through the galaxy, from one mission to the next, as his handler Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) continues to scheme of ways to disrupt the operations of the Galactic Empire and unite all the different factions of rebels into a single alliance. At the same time, the Empire's director of advanced weapons research Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) sets his eyes on the planet Ghorman for its rare minerals, a critical element the Empire requires for its 'sustainable energy programme'. Rather than directly invade the planet, Krennic puts Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) supervisor Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) in charge of manufacturing a complex scheme that eventually leads to a planet-wide genocide. Leaning into the political thriller and espionage framework that he laid in Andor's first season, showrunner Gilroy's second journey into this side of Star Wars is far more intense. Whether intentional or otherwise, Andor's deeply layered, intricately weaved story bears strong similarities to current-day events. Gilroy leverages the smaller moving components – some almost never mentioned or talked about in prior Star Wars media – to work the bigger machinations of the plot, such as the ISB and Dedra's use of the media to spread propaganda and maintain control of the 'Empire good, rebel bad' narrative, and the Empire's – or Krennic's – plan to use false flag operations to take over Ghorman. The show explores even weightier themes, such as the differing views Cassian, Luthen, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), Bail Organa (Benjamin Bratt) and others in the burgeoning rebel alliance have over the best way to fight the Empire, mirroring the discord within and among real-world militias on strategy and tactics. As Andor is the prequel to 2016's Rogue One, which itself was a prequel to 1977's Star Wars, even the most casual viewer would know how this story plays out, yet Gilroy does not allow this narrative awareness to hinder the particular journey his characters have to take. He instead uses the series, particularly the second season, to focus on the characters whose actions or inaction led to the events that would become a part of pop culture history. Though he plays with the similar images, sets, costumes and props that are signature to Star Wars, the way they are used is remarkably different. Free from the shackles of obsessing over the Skywalker family, flashy lightsabers or Force-powered nonsensical gymnastics, Gilroy successfully introduces new ways to tell a Star Wars story with both seasons of Andor and the franchise is all the better for it. Andor's second season is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Rebels need no Skywalker
For a spinoff of a film that itself was a spinoff from a franchise built on the spectacle of lightsabers and the supernatural powers of the Force, it is pleasantly surprising that the second season of Tony Gilroy's Andor once again sidesteps the toy and merchandise-selling facet of Star Wars to tell an actual story. In doing so, Andor proves for the second time why it is currently the best offering on television and the franchise as a whole. Picking up a year after the events in the first season, the thief-turned-spy Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) continues hurtling through the galaxy, from one mission to the next, as his handler Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) continues to scheme of ways to disrupt the operations of the Galactic Empire and unite all the different factions of rebels into a single alliance. At the same time, the Empire's director of advanced weapons research Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) sets his eyes on the planet Ghorman for its rare minerals, a critical element the Empire requires for its 'sustainable energy programme'. Rather than directly invade the planet, Krennic puts Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) supervisor Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) in charge of manufacturing a complex scheme that eventually leads to a planet-wide genocide. Leaning into the political thriller and espionage framework that he laid in Andor 's first season, showrunner Gilroy's second journey into this side of Star Wars is far more intense. Whether intentional or otherwise, Andor 's deeply layered, intricately weaved story bears strong similarities to current-day events. Gilroy leverages the smaller moving components – some almost never mentioned or talked about in prior Star Wars media – to work the bigger machinations of the plot, such as the ISB and Dedra's use of the media to spread propaganda and maintain control of the 'Empire good, rebel bad' narrative, and the Empire's – or Krennic's – plan to use false flag operations to take over Ghorman. The show explores even weightier themes, such as the differing views Cassian, Luthen, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), Bail Organa (Benjamin Bratt) and others in the burgeoning rebel alliance have over the best way to fight the Empire, mirroring the discord within and among real-world militias on strategy and tactics. As Andor is the prequel to 2016's Rogue One, which itself was a prequel to 1977's Star Wars, even the most casual viewer would know how this story plays out, yet Gilroy does not allow this narrative awareness to hinder the particular journey his characters have to take. He instead uses the series, particularly the second season, to focus on the characters whose actions or inaction led to the events that would become a part of pop culture history. Though he plays with the similar images, sets, costumes and props that are signature to Star Wars, the way they are used is remarkably different. Free from the shackles of obsessing over the Skywalker family, flashy lightsabers or Force-powered nonsensical gymnastics, Gilroy successfully introduces new ways to tell a Star Wars story with both seasons of Andor and the franchise is all the better for it.
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
The trouble with Taniela Tupou
Taniela Tupou's yellow card against the Force for a bizarre slide tackle is a big issue for the Wallabies. Joe Schmidt must be wondering if he can genuinely trust Tupou against the British and Irish Lions, because any such act will cost them a Test. That incident will put the Lions wind-up merchants on notice, and it doesn't take a massive stretch of the imagination to envisage players such as Ellis Genge trying to get under Tupou's skin. The shame in all of this is that Tupou appears to be a very likely player that everyone is willing to come through this rough period, but that combustibility is a big red flag ahead of a series that will be intense in every phase of play. Club World Championship will outshine Nations Cup Christmas came early for Super Rugby over the weekend with confirmation from Europe that the club world championship will finally and miraculously come into effect in 2028. Although the details are yet to be unveiled in detail, the outline of the 16-team comp is extraordinarily generous towards Super Rugby, with the top six teams at least set to be included to face that year's Champions Cup quarter finalists. It means the URC winners, or England Premiership winners, could miss out if they have a bad Champions Cup campaign, yet the door would be open for the Super Rugby outfit that finishes sixth. As a concept, this competition is far more appealing than the Nations Cup concept, and the Herald predicts that supporter interest will be through the roof, with the first edition of the quadrennial tournament to be held in Europe. This is a big moment for the game, and a brilliant deal for Super Rugby. Wallabies form team of the week Angus Bell (Waratahs) Richie Asiata (Reds) Tom Robertson (Force) Fergus Lee-Warner (Waratahs) Darcy Swain (Force) Joe Brial (Reds) Carlo Tizzano (Force) Harry Wilson (Reds) Tate McDermott (Reds) - Player of the round Jack Bowen (Waratahs) Darby Lancaster (Waratahs) Hamish Stewart (Force) Dre Pakeho (Reds) Filipo Daugunu (Reds) Jock Campbell (Reds) Tahs show grit but they can't be a yo-yo team The Waratahs deserve a heap of credit for winning a tough game against the Force in appalling conditions in Perth - especially their bench. A week after the players were called out by their own coach, the phase of play that led to Jack Bowen's game-levelling penalty typified the spirit - the initial punch by Langi Gleeson, then great carries and skills by Tom Lambert, Teddy Wilson and Ben Grant up the middle of the field. The Waratahs rode their luck at times but deserved the win against a Force team that has put a heavy workload on Jeremy Williams, Darcy Swain and Nick Champion de Crespigny and arguably ran out of battery during the past month. However, the Waratahs can't get stuck in the cycle of poor performance-public roasting by the coach-gritty comeback. That has a limited shelf life and Dan McKellar has a big job getting them up for the game against the Blues in Auckland on Saturday before addressing that issue during the off-season. How will the Lions play? Look at the Hurricanes The Reds couldn't quite match the Hurricanes' dynamism on Saturday, with an exciting game offering a real contrast in styles (losing most of the 50-50 calls didn't help the Queenslanders either). In many ways, the Hurricanes were your classic Kiwi team, plenty of ball movement and athletic loose forwards. But their coach, Clark Laidlaw, is a proud Scot who is tuned into the Six Nations and also a major admirer of the French style. He reflects the outlook of the modern European coach, too, and there is no doubt that the Lions will come here with major attacking intent. Like the Hurricanes, their backline will be serviced by a brilliant, ambitious No 9 and all eight of their pack will be genuine ball-carrying options. They're being set up to be expansive - why else would you choose Finn Russell, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith as your No 10 options?
