Fresh from earning representative honours, Rosie Ebbage and Alapeta Ngauamo have re-signed with the Western Force for the 2025 Super Rugby Women’s season.
Ebbage, 22, and Ngauamo, 35, both joined the Force from other franchises ahead of the 2024 Super W season where the side made the finals for the first time.
Lock Ebbage impressed across five starts for the Force after switching from the NSW Waratahs. This week, she was recognised for her growth with Australia A selection for the first time. Australia A are due to play Samoa next week.
Front-rower Ngauamo didn’t miss a Super W game for the Force in 2024, including five starts and a try following her move from the Queensland Reds. She earned her maiden Wallaroos call-up in June and this week was selected for the upcoming WXV 2 tour.
Force head coach Dylan Parsons was delighted to see the pair re-commit to the Club.
“Rosie was an up-and-coming lock when she first came across and locks are a position that take time to develop their craft. We were thrilled with her growth in 2024,” Parsons said.
“She’s a really good character and someone who brings a good mindset to learn. We knew we definitely wanted to have her back, so we’re really pleased to re-sign her.
“Now she’s got some exciting opportunities ahead with Australia A. We see her as a future player for this club as well.
“Pets is another good story. She’s a more experienced player but she took a chance with us, moving across, looking for something different. She’s a fantastic character to have around the squad.
“She’s also really worked hard at her craft, working closely with assistant coach Chris Heiberg in learning how to be a really effective prop.
“Now she’s been rewarded for a great season with a WXV squad selection, a few Wallaroos camp call-ups and she’ll be pushing hard for her debut cap as well.
“We see her as a player that should be pushing to be at a World Cup next year as well, so to have her re-sign is a testament to the program but also shows the program is developing Wallaroos here too.”
The pair’s re-signings are part of the foundation blocks of the Force’s women’s program as it builds towards the 2025 Super W season, with the upcoming Perth Gold game on Saturday 21 September and the three-game Japan tour in October and November.
Parsons added: “We want to make sure we’ve got consistency in our squad with players like Rosie and Alapeta. To have that cohesion in what we are building it is really important for us to have quality re-signings like these ones.”
Rosie Ebbage
Lock – 6/7/2002 – Easts Tigers Brisbane
Western Force (2024-, 5 caps)
NSW Waratahs (2021-2023, 8 caps)
Alapeta Ngauamo
Prop – 11/7/1989 – Wests Bulldogs
Western Force (2024-, 6 caps)
Queensland Reds (2022-2023, 10 caps)
