Jono Lance one of three who commit to the Western Force

The Western Force has continued to consolidate their squad for next season with Jono Lance, Henry Taefu and Jake Strachan all signing contract extensions.

Lance and Taefu have penned one-year deals, while Strachan has signed on for a further two years with the club.

After returning to the Force from UK Premiership side Worcester Warriors, Lance quickly established himself as a key playmaker for the side during the Super Rugby AU campaign.

The two-time Super Rugby champion (2011 and 2014), who now has 26 appearances for the Force after spending two seasons with the club from 2016-17, brought vital experience to the squad this year scoring the third most points in a string of influential performances.

Having spent the entire season away from home, Lance is keen to reacquaint himself with Perth and can’t wait for training to get started.

“I’m really excited to move back and have the opportunity to pull on the Force jersey again next season,” the versatile back explained.

“I’m loving being back, as it’s an exciting time to be a part of rugby in WA.

“Getting the chance to have a full pre-season and have that preparation time before the competition begins next year will be massive for us.”

Another player to have enjoyed a strong Super Rugby AU season, Taefu continued to cement himself as a vital part of the squad after moving to Perth in 2018.

Capped six times by Samoa, the 2019 World Cup player’s fearless approach, tough tackling and hard running has proved a huge asset for the team, as he transitioned seamlessly back into Super Rugby making seven appearances.

Taefu is full of excitement heading into what promises to be another huge season for the Force.

“We have a lot of unfinished business. We want more and we’re looking forward to getting those wins next year,” Taefu said.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time here in Perth, my family love it here, and I think it’s a really exciting time to be a part of the club.

“I’m pumped to get to know the new faces in the squad and learning from them. I can’t wait to see what the likes of Kuridrani, Kearney and the Argentinians bring to the team.”

At 23 years of age, Strachan is an exciting prospect who experienced a memorable first taste of Super Rugby in 2020 following the 2019 NRC title win.

The Brisbane-born fullback enjoyed a fantastic competition debut against the NSW Waratahs at Cbus Super Stadium, with his composed performance at fullback earning him Force’s Retravision Man of the Match award.

Strachan said he’s delighted to be re-signing with the club.

“I’m so grateful to be given the opportunity to represent the Force again next season,” he said.

“This club gave me my first professional contract and I can’t wait to repay the faith they’ve shown in me in the years to come.

“Moving to Perth with my girlfriend and our daughter has been great, we’ve really enjoyed living here and we’re looking forward to continuing to grow in WA together.”