Former Nathan Sharpe Medal winner Kane Koteka has re-signed with the Western Force for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season.
The 31-year-old openside flanker from Wests Scarborough has made 43 Super Rugby appearances for the Force since his debut in 2015.
A proud West Australian, Koteka was the first Future Force Academy graduate to play Super Rugby. His breakthrough came in 2021 when he was named the club’s best player, earning the Nathan Sharpe Medal after a standout campaign in which the Force reached the Super Rugby AU finals for the first time.
More recently, Koteka impressed with three starts during the past month as the Force advanced to the Super Rugby AUS Grand Final. He played an important role backing up Carlo Tizzano in 2025, making 76 successful tackles in four matches.
Koteka is expected to continue pushing for a starting spot next season while providing a strong leadership presence within the squad.
Force head coach Simon Cron said: “He’s WA through and through. He’s a Western Force stalwart.
“He’s motivated to be the best he can be. He brings high leadership qualities for a softly spoken guy.
“He’s really keen to challenge for the jersey which is critically important.”
Koteka said: “I’m really excited to be re-signing for the 2026 season. Perth is home for me and I’m proud to continue representing the people and place I grew up in.
“We’ve got a great group of men here and I’m confident we can keep growing and achieve something special together next year.”
