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19-Test All Black George Bridge handed leadership role at Force
By Finn Morton
19-Test All Black George Bridge has been named in the Western Force leadership group for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, with Wallabies lock Jeremy Williams set to captain the team for the third season in a row.
One-time Wallabies skipper Nick Champion de Crespigny has been named as a Force vice-captain along with Ben Donaldson. Reigning Nathan Sharpe medal winner Tom Robertson rounds out the six-man leadership group selected by the coaching staff.
Bridge represented New Zealand at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and won five Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders. The utility back made 82 Super Rugby appearances before heading offshore, spending a few seasons in France’s Top 14 with Montpellier.
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Coach Simon Cron selected Bridge in the first Force team of 2026, naming the New Zealander in the centres for a pre-season hit out against the Queensland Reds last week. Bridge partnered 95-Test Wallaby Kurtley Beale in the midfield, who has also been named in the leadership group.
Beale has played more than 160 matches at Super Rugby, which included a title-winning season with the NSW Waratahs. The playmaker has been selected in three Wallabies World Cup squads and represented the First Nations & Pasifika XV against the British & Irish Lions last July.
Those two are joined by Robertson in the leadership group, who is a Oxford University graduated and a 39-Test Wallabies prop. Robertson reached the 100-game appearance milestone in Super Rugby last season.
Williams will captain the Force for a third consecutive campaign, having made 35 appearances for the club to date. Donaldson is another key voice within the group, having cemented his place in the run-on side since heading west a couple of years ago.
Champion de Crespigny is another important member of this Force side, with the loose forward set for his second Super Rugby campaign. The backrower was a Super Rugby rookie last season after returning home to Australia from France, which led to Wallabies honours.
“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,” Cron said.
“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.”
Western Force men’s leadership group for 2026
Captain: Jeremy Williams
Vice-captains: Ben Donaldson & Nick Champion de Crespigny
Wider leaders: Kurtley Beale, George Bridge & Tom Robertson
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