Western Force demolish Waratahs 53-26 to end seven-year title drought

The Western Force ended a seven-year title drought on October 3, 2026, dismantling defending champions the NSW Waratahs 53-26 at Perth’s Scotch College to claim the Super Rugby AUS Grand Final. Twelve months after a 33-26 defeat to the same opponents in the inaugural decider, the Perth-based side left no doubt with a dominant, try-filled performance.

Winger Dylan Pietsch, veteran utility back Kurtley Beale and Australia Sevens representative Wallace Charlie were the standout performers as the Force ran in a barrage of tries. Captain and one-time England hooker Nic Dolly lifted the trophy on a blue-skied afternoon in Western Australia, the Force’s first piece of silverware since the 2019 Global Rapid Rugby and National Rugby Championship.

The Force set the tone inside five minutes when Beale released centre Jackson Iose for the opening try. Beale was at his influential best throughout the first quarter, threading a sublime cut-out pass to Pietsch in the 10th minute that the winger finished in the corner. Dolly then added a third, running 20 metres down the right sideline before stepping inside and crashing over from a well-worked set-piece move, putting the Force 12-0 up in short order.

Openside flanker Jack Daly provided a crucial defensive intervention when he stole the ball on his own line to deny New South Wales a foothold, before Beale launched a monstrous 50/22 to relieve further pressure. Charlie then produced the moment of individual brilliance that effectively ended the contest, taking a short ball through a gap and beating covering defender Otto Serfontein with a sharp change of pace to make it 26-0. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips converted to extend the advantage.

The Waratahs did score through Charlie Bird before half-time to avoid a shutout, but the Force’s lead was already commanding. The second half continued in much the same vein, with the Force running out emphatic winners by 27 points.

The result completes a remarkable turnaround for a side that made the Super Rugby AU playoffs in 2021 but had gone without a title since. The Force had secured home advantage for this decider after beating the Waratahs in round three of the Super Rugby AUS campaign just days earlier, and they made full use of it.