Western
Force back-rower Vaiolini Ekuasi has capped an outstanding Swyftx Super Rugby
Pacific season by being crowned the 2026 Nathan Sharpe medallist at Friday
night’s ceremony at the WACA Ground.
The Club
held the Nathan Sharpe Medal Night at the WACA Ground’s Wally Edwards Function
Centre with 300 guests in attendance to honour the Force’s top individual
performers from the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
Back-rower
Ekuasi claimed the Force’s top men’s individual accolade, which is named after
the Club’s inaugural captain Nathan Sharpe and voted on a 3-2-1 basis by
players after each game.
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Ekuasi won
the count on 254 votes, finishing ahead of Club captain Jeremy Williams (229)
and homegrown openside flanker Carlo Tizzano (191). Wallabies winger Dylan
Pietsch (168) and fly-half Ben Donaldson (142) rounded out the top five.
The
Auckland-born forward made a major impact across the 2026 season, registering
271 in-contact metres (sixth most in Super Rugby), 143 carries (seventh
overall) and 43 dominant carries (10th overall).
Ekuasi, 24,
also had 121 pick-and-go metres (fourth overall), scored three tries and was
ranked 12th overall for tackles with 162.
Ekuasi
polled consistently across the season, including two stand-out games early in
the year against the ACT Brumbies and Moana Pasifika, before a best afield
display against the Fijian Drua in Round 15 all but sealed the top gong.
Williams
finished only 25 votes behind Ekuasi, having polled votes in every game bar
one, following a terrific season where he led Super Rugby for lineout steals
(16) and played the most minutes of any Force player, with 139 tackles and
three tries.
Third-placer
Tizzano topped the side’s tries count for 2026 with 10, breaking the Club
record in the process, surpassing Cameron Shepherd’s mark of 30. The UWA
flanker also had 167 tackles, 258 attacking ruck arrivals and 110 ball carries.
Tizzano was
recognized for his exemplary 2026 season by being voted the Force Members’ MVP
for the third straight season, underlining the WA product’s popularity.
Tongan
tighthead prop Misinale Epenisa, 24, capped a breakout debut Super Rugby season
by winning the Matt Hodgson Rising Star.
Epenisa was
originally signed to the Force Academy, but was quickly elevated to the Super
Rugby side for a Round 1 debut, playing 12 games across the season, impressing
at scrum-time and growing in confidence as the season wore on, with two tries.
Vice-captain
Nick Champion de Crespigny won the Force Man Award for the second straight
season. The award is handed out to the player that embodies the Force spirit on
and off the field.
The Force
also acknowledged the Club’s 2026 debutants and departing players, along with
10 separate player milestones, including Kurtley Beale becoming the most capped
back in Super Rugby competition history.
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Force Membership today
2026 Award
Winners
Nathan
Sharpe Medal: Vaiolini Ekuasi
Members’ Super Rugby MVP: Carlo Tizzano
Matt Hodgson Rising Star: Misinale Epenisa
Force Man Award: Nick Champion de Crespigny
Nathan
Sharpe medal top 10
1.
Vaiolini Ekuasi – 254
2. Jeremy Williams – 229
3. Carlo Tizzano – 191
4. Dylan Pietsch – 168
5. Ben Donaldson – 142
6. George Bridge – 117
7. Franco Molina – 107
8. Mac Grealy – 74
9. Nick Champion de Crespigny – 74
10. Darby Lancaster – 71
Nathan
Sharpe Medal – Honour Roll
026 –
Vaiolini Ekuasi
2025 – Tom Robertson
2024 – Ben Donaldson
2023 – Sam Spink
2022 – Tim Anstee and Manasa Mataele
2021 – Kane Koteka
2020 – Fergus Lee-Warner
2019 – Issak Fines-Leleiwasa
2018 – Brynard Stander
2017 – Isi Naisarani
2016 – Dane Haylett-Petty
2015 – Ben McCalman
2014 – Matt Hodgson
2013 – Kyle Godwin
2012 – David Pocock
2011 – David Smith
2010 – Matt Hodgson
2009 – Matt Hodgson
2008 – Ryan Cross
2007 – Matt Giteau
2006 – Scott Staniforth
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Force Membership today