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Force sign Wallaby wing Dylan Pietsch on multi-year deal
By Ian Cameron
The Western Force have confirmed the signing of Wallaby Dylan Pietsch on a multi-year deal. The 26-year-old wing joins from the NSW Waratahs after a standout 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season in which he scored four tries across 12 appearances.
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Pietsch’s strong performances led to his debut for the Wallabies in July 2024 against Wales.
Pietsch will join the Force in November to begin preparations for the 2025 season. The wing – who debuted for the Waratahs in 2022 – has scored 14 tries in 38 games over three seasons. His speed and skill so him feature for Australia’s rugby sevens team and he competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“I feel like the Western Force are on the up at the moment and I’m really excited to play my part in it,” said Pietsch. “The Force play a fast style of rugby where they like to move the ball which suits me. I believe that can bring out my strengths with carrying and ball-running on the edges.
“My Wallabies ambition is a big thing too. Now I’ve had a taste of international rugby, I want to play consistent footy and I feel I can play my best footy with the Force. I feel this move can help propel me forward.”
Pietsch won’t be a stranger to plenty of the players already on the books at the his new club.
“I’m really excited to play with a good group of boys,” he said. “I room with Donno (Ben Donaldson) on every Wallabies tour. I know a fair few of them, Jeremy Williams, Will Harris, Tom Horton and many more.
“It’s good to have those relationships going into a new team, it makes the transition a lot easier.”
Pietsch’s arrival follows the recruitment of former All Blacks midfielder Matt Proctor and back Divad Palu from the Melbourne Rebels, adding further depth to the Force’s attacking options.
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Western Force head coach Simon Cron expressed his satisfaction with Pietsch’s signing, emphasizing the boost it provides to the team’s backline.
“He’s a genuine winger, who brings pace and power out wide. He also has a really driven personality type that will fit in really well with our group,” Cron said. “The best players have that inner drive and he definitely has it, so we’re excited about getting Dylan over after his Wallabies duties.
“For us, it’s really important we get depth in the back three as it will only help others in the squad to develop and get better.”
This signing is part of a larger recruitment drive by the Force during the off-season, which has also seen them secure international players such as Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Nic Dolly, Darcy Swain, as well as emerging talents like forward Josh Thompson and back-rowers Vaiolini Ekuasi and Nick Champion de Crespigny.
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