The Western Force is excited to confirm the Club’s leadership group which will again be led by captain Jeremy Williams for the 2026 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific season.
Wallabies lock Williams, 25, will skipper the side for the third straight season, supported by two new vice-captains in Ben Donaldson and Nick Champion de Crespigny.
Since joining the Force ahead of the 2023 season, Williams has played 35 games including 34 starts. The second-rower reached 50 Super Rugby caps in Round 14 last season.
Meet the Force players at the Club's Fan Day at Force HQ on Saturday 31 January
He won the Force Man Award in 2023 and received the Lion Community Service Award at December’s RUPA Awards for his work with charity Rio’s Legacy.
Donaldson, 26, has become a key leader and voice among the Force group since heading west from the NSW Waratahs ahead of the 2024 season.
The Wallabies playmaker won the Club’s Nathan Sharpe medal in 2024 and has cemented himself as the starting fly-half with 25 starts over the past two seasons.
Champion de Crespigny, 29, has made a big impact in a short period of time, since joining the Force prior to the 2025 season after three years in France, clocking up 12 starts.
The back-rower sensationally rose to become the 92nd Wallabies captain for October’s Test away to Japan in just his third international cap.
Champion de Crespigny’s off-field impact is underlined by winning the Force Man Award in 2025. He was also nominated for RUPA’s Robert Walters Academic Achievement Award last year and is a RUPA board member.
Experienced trio Kurtley Beale, George Bridge and Tom Robertson will support the captain and vice-captains as part of a wider six-player leadership group selected by the Force coaching staff.
Beale brings vast experience across 95 Wallabies caps and 162 Super Rugby games, appearing at three World Cups and winning a Super Rugby title in 2014 with the Waratahs.
Bridge is a 19-cap All Blacks back who played at the 2019 Rugby World Cup and has won five Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders. He has 82 caps and 37 tries to his name in Super Rugby.
Reigning Nathan Sharpe medal winner and Oxford University graduate Robertson has earned 39 Wallabies caps and reached the milestone of 100 Super Rugby games last season.
Force head coach Simon Cron said: “We took our time to pick those who we believe live and breathe the high level of standards and behaviours that will drive us into the future.
“Jeremy is a great captain, and this leadership group offers excellent support with their experience and knowledge to get the best out of our team.
“There are also a large number of brilliant leaders, and technical drivers, within our team that will all play critical roles in supporting these men and helping the team."
Williams added: “It’s an honour and privilege to lead this group again. I’m thankful to the organisation for the opportunity and their faith in me.
“I’m excited about the leadership group that we’ve put together and confident we can drive this group on to the success that it craves in 2026 and beyond.”
The Force's 2026 Super Rugby season starts on Saturday 14 February against the ACT Brumbies at HBF Park. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.
2026 Western Force men's leadership group
Captain: Jeremy Williams
Vice-captains: Ben Donaldson & Nick Champion de Crespigny
Wider leaders: Kurtley Beale, George Bridge & Tom Robertson
Meet the Force players at the Club's Fan Day at Force HQ on Saturday 31 January
