RugbyWA and the Western Force's home at RugbyHQ has received a big boost with a major upgrade of changerooms and recovery facilities for the elite squads, bringing in line women’s facilities with the men’s.
The completion of the gym changeroom upgrade at RugbyHQ has been funded by VenuesWest in partnership with RugbyWA and Western Force.
As part of the project, the changerooms have been significantly upgraded to improve athlete experience and recovery, increasing the footprint allocated to Women and Girls at the Force's Floreat base.
The upgraded changeroom has new lockers and a better usage of space for athletes, plus the addition of a traditional sauna and a large plunge pool to improve the recovery experience of athletes.
The multi-function room, utilised for team meetings and community engagement, has also received upgrades to improve the development and training experience for high-performance teams by enhancing interactive learning, visual aids, collaboration, flexibility and data-driven insights.
The new facilities will contribute to better performance, recovery and overall wellbeing.
RugbyWA CEO, Simon Taylor, said: “RugbyWA was thrilled to work with VenuesWest and Western Force to make upgrades to our facilities, reflecting the growth of our sport in the state. The upgrades provide an opportunity for continued development of the high-performance pathways in the state, and we are happy to see the benefit these changes have for current and future Western Force players.”
The project commenced in August and was completed in early November, coinciding with the start of the Force Men’s, Women’s and Academy pre-season.
Force Director of Strategic Projects Matt Hodgson said: “Our teams have outgrown the old facility and through working with RugbyWA and VenuesWest, we’ve been able to upgrade the facilities from both a locker space but also a recovery space, adding a sauna and an ice plunge pool. The players are loving it as they start to use the area this pre-season.”
VenuesWest acting CEO Stuart Lyon said: “Through the support of the WA Government, it’s fantastic VenuesWest has been able to facilitate the changeroom and recovery upgrades at the WA Rugby Centre.
“VenuesWest’s mission is to see our WA-based teams and athletes thrive through the provision of training and competition facilities. It’s crucial all Western Force players have their own changerooms and lockers, and access to recovery spaces that meet the needs of elite-level athletes.
“The 2027 Men’s and 2029 Women’s World Cups in Australia are rapidly approaching, and we also look forward to hosting Game 2 of the Bledisloe Cup at Optus Stadium this October. Rugby participation in WA can only grow as excitement builds around these events, and these upgrades are essential to ensure the game is supported at the highest level.”
The increase in the footprint allocated to Women and Girls is part of RugbyWA and the Force’s commitment to support their growth and participation in rugby and within the wider sporting ecosystem.
The Western Force Women will now have access to a larger changeroom space, in addition to permanent lockers for all active players. This change emerges alongside the growing Western Force SuperW squad, bringing their facilities in line with those of the Men’s players.
Hodgson added: “The biggest change was to build this women’s area. The women didn’t have a female-only area.
“We’ve improved this area to become a professional area. As the women’s game becomes full-time, they need the same facilities as the men.
“Each woman who joins the club, will now get their own secured locker and direct access to the recovery facilities, all exactly the same as the men.”
The facilities upgrade is a vital step in creating a safe, supportive, inclusive and high-quality environment that enhances both individual experiences and the broader sports community.
The facilities are functional now, but there is more to come with artwork and graphics to be added to the walls, including the Western Force's iconic Maali, and an historic timeline. All player lockers now include active Force players’ names, which will be retained over time as a nod to the Club’s history.
RugbyWA thanks VenuesWest and the Western Force for their support throughout the upgrade project.
