Western Force have landed a genuine coup in the second row, confirming that Trevor Hosea has signed a two-year deal to return to Australian rugby and pull on the blue jersey in Perth. The 26-year-old lock spent the past three seasons in Japan, first with Tokyo Sungoliath and more recently with Mie Honda Heat, but with Super Rugby Pacific increasingly targeting players with this kind of size and experience, it’s not hard to see why the Force moved to bring him home.
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From Rebels to Japan and Back: Trevor Hosea’s Path to a Wallabies Push
Hosea isn’t a new name to Australian rugby fans, even if he’s been playing his club footy on the other side of the world lately. He came through the Melbourne Rebels system, debuting in 2020 and quickly becoming one of the competition’s more talked-about young locks thanks to his combination of size and surprising athleticism. Standing over two metres tall, he built a reputation as a genuine lineout weapon during his time at the Rebels, racking up 33 Super Rugby appearances along the way. He also wore the green and gold at Australia U20 level, which speaks to the kind of pathway pedigree Rugby Australia likes to see in its emerging forwards.
Hosea accepted a very tempting contract with Suntory Sungoliath in 2023 that had him spend three years competing in the League One tournament in Japan. He played for Tokyo Sungoliath and also for Mie Honda Heat, gaining valuable experience from playing against top-class opposition in forwards positions. Such an experience will usually make a rugby player sharper on the field. According to all reports available, Hosea returns to Australia as a much-improved second-row player than the one who had left. Given that the Force was actively looking to bolster their pack of players after losing several crucial players, it was very timely indeed.
“Excited to Be Back”: Trevor Hosea on Joining Western Force After Three Years Abroad
Force head coach Simon Cron didn’t hold back when discussing the signing, pointing to Hosea’s rare blend of size and mobility as exactly what the club needs in its forward pack moving forward. Cron has built a reputation for developing forwards who can do more than just the basics, and Hosea’s ability to cover ground and contribute around the paddock, not just in the tight exchanges, appears to be a big part of the appeal. It’s also worth noting that Cron has a track record of getting the best out of returning players — the Force have leaned on Japan-based Australians before, and there’s an obvious template here for getting Hosea firing quickly.
For Hosea, however, his desire to hit the ground running has been well and truly made clear. He has spoken of how he is excited to be returning to Australian rugby, and how eager he is to be a part of a Western Force side that is building itself up nicely under Cron, even though it is yet to make its mark in the finals series. Playing again in the Super Rugby Pacific means that he will once again be a serious contender for the national side, something that was out of the question when he was in Japan.
It’s a deal that makes sense on paper for both parties. The Force get a proven, experienced lock who slots straight into a rebuilding pack, while Hosea gets a fresh platform to push his case for higher honours back on home soil. Given how much the second-row market has thinned out across Super Rugby Pacific this year, don’t be surprised if this ends up being one of the more shrewd bits of business done in the off-season.