Western Force forward Hugh McMeniman has revealed that he is pleased "to be back in a competitive environment" after spending three years in Japan with the Kubota Spears.
The 29-year-old also admitted that the Japanese game is less physical, an aspect that he missed while playing overseas.
"It has been really good to be back in a competitive environment. It is a different style of play to Japan. In Japan it is much faster with a 'helter-skelter' approach, with lots of quick taps, while at the ruck the ball really spits out," he told Sky Sports News.
"In Super Rugby the contact is a lot harder and it's more physical. To be honest being over in Japan probably saved my body a bit."
Force finished bottom of the Australian conference last season.