# Western Force rugby franchise developments

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/western-force-rugby-franchise-developments
> Updated: 2026-10-27T18:00:00.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

The Western Force secured the second edition of Super Rugby Australia by defeating the NSW Waratahs 53-26 in the final. The team completed the tournament undefeated, led by a hat-trick from Dylan Pietsch.

Following this athletic success, the franchise began a structural transition from private ownership under Andrew Forrest’s Tattarang to a not-for-profit model managed by Rugby WA. This change aims to access government funding, with the Western Australian government expected to provide approximately $15 million over four years. Tattarang reportedly intends to match this investment dollar for dollar before exiting the franchise by 2030. The restructuring has resulted in several high-level personnel departures, including director of strategic projects Matt Hodgson, chief executive Niamh O'Connor, general manager Chris Goodman, and head of operations Tyson Beattie.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-27: Western Force transitions to not-for-profit model

The Western Force is transitioning to a not-for-profit model under Rugby WA, securing a potential $15 million government funding deal matched by Tattarang, amid several high-profile staff departures.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/western-force-transitions-to-not-for-profit-model

### 2026-10-03: Western Force win Super Rugby Australia title

The Western Force are the champions of Super Rugby Australia after defeating the NSW Waratahs 53-26 in the final in Perth, finishing the tournament undefeated.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/western-force-win-super-rugby-australia-title

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Cite as: Western Force rugby franchise developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/western-force-rugby-franchise-developments