Rebels intensify search for new coach

Probably a couple of the other assistant coaches too, but you are just making my argument. Best the ARU could say is they picked the easiest of what was available.

I don't know the full story but apparently this part is not accurate: The ARU's claim to have been blind-sided by the news of the sale of the Rebels to the VRU is also at odds with the documentation around the licence. The ARU signed off on the option for the sale of the club to the VRU and had effectively already consented to the transaction. Apparently there was a put option (providing the MRRU was debt free) which was exercised. The ARU did not need to sign off on it, so it would make it odd for them to be approached to sign off on something which they had no authority to sign off on. Apparently the approval the article talks of was the put option in the sale to Andrew Cox two years ago. Supposedly this deal was put to the ARU prior to the arbitration as an ordinary sale, and the ARU rejected it pending the arbitration. The put option was then used without ARU knowledge.

Not sure if all of this info is true (specialy since it is from the stuff.co.nz website), but interesting reading none the less: https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/95865351/the-21-million-deal-that-punted-the-western-force-out-of-super-rugby

Sort of goes to show at least some people just have an axe to grind, and will jump on any populist opinion if it lets them do so.

You can scour the globe all you want and throw around all the big names you want though. You need to find somebody who will coach here for the price we pay, which is less than elsewhere. So for real options you are probably limited to 8 NRC coaches and a few Australians who went abroad for opportunity.

Saw that too... :D

I don't think anyone is claiming that appointing Wessels was anything but the ARU, only that it is more likely just a lazy option that happening to work out for once. Far more likely that than they scoured the globe and discovered to their amazement that the very best candidate was the bloke who already had an employment contract and didn't need any relocation. Especially given some of the names supposedly being bandied about at the time. Astonishing how often that happens in Australian rugby, that the best candidate in the world is the bloke next door. With all these "bests" it is amazing the game is in the state it is.

Also interesting in the comments reading Squirrel/Jock Cornet saying the Force should fold. Now complaining about the same thing. HA!

The point is you can't criticize the ARU for their involvement in poor appointments and give them no credit for a decent one. Everybody loves to sell the completely un-provable narrative that Graham, and then Foley (who broke is Waratahs contract which he only just signed in order to sign) were forced onto the Force by the ARU. But then try and claim the great appointment of Wessels was all their own work where in reality the only thing we do know was that the ARU were heavily involved in the Force appointing Wessels.

Hardly, just not prone to re-writing history. Even at the time it was commented as surprising, and the announcement unable to resist mentioning that the Force's future was gloomy...https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/force-confirm-dave-wessels-as-coach-for-the-next-two-seasons/news-story/4d3f069c9dc2c3a436db9152a5534d01 Even more interesting revisiting the relevant Roar page...http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/09/07/dave-wessels-to-coach-western-force-in-2017/ Wrong about the individual, but pretty accurate on the implications.

The Force didn't excel this year. They just didn't perform as poorly as 3 other Australian teams. Losing more games than you win is not excelling.

Where has English gone? He is signed for 2018. I think it's more likely DHP would come to the Rebels and Meakes a Sydney boy end up at either the Waratahs or the Brumbies (who could use a 12).

It is a good question. Force excelled this year when many of their their "No-Name prospects stepped up. Those pathways will have been ruined and it will be another 5 years before they start working again. The true Locals would come back. I predict most of them will have been in europe or japan rather than forming allegiances over east.

With Inman, English and Jack Deb gone, rebs could use Rona and Meakes as well. Hodge to FB

You guys are showing your true character here. You can't even admit when someone gets something right, that benefits your club. Such extreme bias

You've got to wonder about how the Force players are thinking. Right now there's probably a lot of feeing that "we really want to stay here and play for the Force and if the Force gets reinstated now or in 2020 we're committed to them. I'll be back!!" But when they do move on, form new allegiances, find new homes, make new commitments, you'd think a lot of that feeling would fade away. I wonder just who would be available if the Force were to be reinstated in 2020?

You should read our comments Kirky and realise we don't want any of your beloved Force players. Most of them are just sell-swords making up numbers, players who pat themselves on the back for not finishing last. arguments aside there is a small crop of quality players and a quality coach who I believe should prop up the Rebels first and foremost. You should get behind them as they will also be playing for their survival over the next couple of seasons

Wow, they did an exhaustive search all around the world and appointed the existing assistant coach. Not sure I'd class that as a masterstroke, for all that it went well. Feels more like doing the bare minimum and not rocking the boat. Given he was appointed in September '16, I wouldn't rule out that minimum future disruption come the day being a significant consideration...

Chooks all across our wide Australia disagree!

I would prefer him to go overseas. Australia doesn't deserve his services.