John I Dent Cup star Will Sankey bound for Western Force for Super Rugby Pacific

The John I Dent Cup's reigning MacDougall Medal winner is bound for the Western Force on an injury cover contract for the opening stages of the Super Rugby Pacific season.

Now Sankey could find himself on a collision course with the Brumbies - the same club he spent the opening months of the pre-season with.

Sankey was the first Uni-Norths Owls player to win the MacDougall Medal since the joint venture was established in 2001, and was rewarded with a spot in the Brumbies' pre-season program.

When his time at Brumbies headquarters came to an end over the Christmas break, the Force had the Owls lock on their radar. So when injury struck, club general manager Matt Hodgson picked up the phone.

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"It's sort of mixed feelings because I spent most of pre-season with the Brumbies," Sankey said.

"But I'm just excited to have an opportunity and rapt they thought of me. [A game against the Brumbies in round one] would probably be full circle, but we'll think about that if it happens.

"There was a couple of injuries at the Force and they called me in on an injury cover contract. It's just a six-week injury contract really, so that's just the term.

"If it goes further, that just gets decided at the end. It was done through my manager. He was speaking with Matt Hodgson, but my manager did most of the speaking [for me]."

The Force arrived in Brisbane this weekend ahead of a trial against the Queensland Reds, with Sankey packing his bags into the back of his car and hitting the road to join his new teammates.

The Brumbies will host the Force at Canberra Stadium on Sunday February 20, after rugby officials scrambled to make a change due to Western Australia's border restrictions.

The Force will base themselves on the east coast for the opening rounds of the competition after WA Premier Mark McGowan backed down on his promise to reopen the state to the rest of the country on February 5 due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

"I'm not due to be up there until Monday so I'm basically on the road for the next couple of days," Sankey said.

"To my knowledge we're based in Brisbane [at the start of the season]. There are still a few details that are still getting sorted, but hopefully I'll find out more once I get into the fold.

"I'm positive we're out of Brisbane and then obviously travelling for away games."

Sankey's absence will be a major blow for the Owls this year as they hunt for a drought-breaking premiership - but as much as they'd love to have him in their colours, they'd rather see him in Super Rugby.

However a return to ANU North Oval is on the cards for Sankey if his time at the Force is not extended beyond six weeks.

"We'll cross that bridge when it comes, but I'd say so. My partner is staying in Canberra with work commitments," Sankey said.

"[Uni-Norths] are stoked but sad to see me leave. I'm sad to go as well, the club has done a lot for me and it has meant a lot over the past three or four years that I've been there. It's a good opportunity but obviously sad to go. "

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