Western Force coach Dave Wessels says he won’t make a decision on his future until hearing more details about Andrew Forrest’s breakaway rugby competition.
The Melbourne Rebels are reportedly keen to lure Wessels to the club as their new head coach following the departure of Tony McGahan.
Should Wessels head to the Rebels, a host of the Force’s best players could follow him there in what would be a major boon for the Melbourne franchise.
The Force will no longer compete in Super Rugby after being axed by the ARU.
RugbyWA’s Supreme Court appeal failed to overturn the decision.
In the wake of the Force’s axing, Forrest vowed to launch a breakaway rugby competition that takes in teams from the Indo Pacific region.
Teams from Japan, China, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Singapore, and Hong Kong could feature in the competition
Initially, it seemed like the new league would be in direct competition with Super Rugby.
But Forrest has since offered an olive branch to the ARU, with the competition expected to be played at a different time to the Super season.
If that’s the case, it could leave the door open for Wessels to coach the Perth-based team in the new competition, as well as the Rebels.
Forrest is expected to hold a press conference on Wednesday to unveil more details about the competition, and Wessels will hold fire on any decisions until at least then.
“I’m very flattered that there’s some interest in me from different places,” Wessels said.
“Just like the players, I want to make a decision with my family.
“At the moment, we don’t have the complete information in terms of the alternatives.”
Wessels, 34, is already rated as one of the brightest coaching prospects in Australian rugby.
The first-year coach is settled in Perth with his young family, but he may find it hard to resist the lure of coaching the Rebels.
“I feel very grateful for everyone in Australian rugby who has helped me,” Wessels said.
“There’s a huge part of me that want to repay some of their faith in me.
“At the same time, I have ambitions that one day I’d like to be among the best coaches in the world, and at the moment I think I’m quite far from that.”
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Why am I such an unhappy man? I'm not. But I just hate people pushing BS. Stick to the facts, not narratives that are contradicted by them. I'm also not a Victorian. I'm a Queenslander. I just live in Melbourne at the moment.
Stu B
Guest
Thanks for the NIB spectator figures guys.May I ask Train Without Station why he is such an unhappy man,obviously has more knowledge on rugby than anybody in Australia but has a real bitter negative streak,maybe he has piles(they can make you grumpy)or he could have a horrible mrs.I have come across a few know it all, bombastic Victorians in my time maybe TWAS fits this catagory,any comments on our Prince Charming out there?
Darwin Stubbie
Guest
'Teams from Japan, China, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Singapore, and Hong Kong could feature in the competition' Some lazy reporting here ... NZR came out last week and stated NZ teams participating isn't going to happen ...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Well no it's not really fair to say that. Unless you say the Brumbies had a server injury toll, the Reds did and the Tahs did. Every team used players outside their main squad. For the Brumbies it was players like Issac Thompson, Andy Muirhead and Ryan Lonergan. For the Waratahs it was Dave Lolohea, Mack Mason and Maclean Jones. For the Reds it was players like Kirwan Sanday, Hamish Stewart and Phil Kite Every team had a number of players out at one time and as a result gave game time to players outside their main squad. This is not a unique situation that the Force hit.
Fionn
Guest
TWAS, I think it is fair to say that both teams had a severe injury toll. The fact that the Rebels' injury toll was more severe doesn't change that the Force had a pretty bad injury toll too.
Train Without A Station
Guest
The Force used 2 players outside their officially announced squad...
Train Without A Station
Guest
Actually McCalman was co-captain with Heath Tessman. The Rebels had Sean McMahon had unavailable for most of the year. Toby Smith missed 10 weeks. Don Shipperly missed the entir season. Laurie Weeks half the season. Stirzacker, Fainga'a and Timani all missed games. Doesn't leave a lot of experience... Every team gets injuries. Every team calls the odd player outside the squad up.
Nobody
Guest
Wessels should do anything but become a scapegoat coach for the Rebels' losses. As much as he may be respected in WA, if he moves to Victoria he will become a clear target for those resentful of outsiders - the publicity from taking the position will ensure it. That's unless he really can turn the Rebels around, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
Ex force fan
Guest
Nothing new here TWAS just consistent lying from the ARU. I don't blame the ARU for doing anything different to what they have done this whole year.
Ex force fan
Guest
The Force injuries included all their most experienced players including McCalman the captain that could not play a single game. Game after game we had to play players with no superugby experience and still managed under a good young coach. The Rebels coaching position is a poisoned chalice for whoever take it. The 15 Force players that the Rebels target should consider if they really want to play for a team that will have to rebuild from scratch, will have enormous and unrealistic pressure to justify their existance and is likely to fail financially.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
BS TWAS. Yes the Rebels had a massive injury problem but so did the Force. At one point there were more first choice Force players on the injured list than in the 23. Kids in the extended squad got a lot of game time that was never expected. We even had to import a player from Scotland as injury cover.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
17.528 paying customers (plus EARU free loaders).
Mr Tommo
Guest
Dave, as a South African born and raised, living in Perth for the last 20 years i can confirm it is a cultural attitudes and clashes, particularly with young people in professional environments. South Africans are typically raised in more regimented, structured set ups that promote discipline and hard work (just my experience, may differ), Aussies i find are encouraged to think more creatively and question rules and laws. When the two come together, conflict usually arrises; I think Wessels got the blend right because A) Alot of the Force Juniors are not actually born and raised aussie and B) he respected and encouraged opinions of the Force senior players which ment he had a means of effective communication and conflict resolution.
DavSA
Guest
Australia also do not have a good history of foreign cricket coaches .. Why is it ? Jake White did really good work with The Brumbies before being posted. Mickey Arthur had a huge track record with South Africa before taking the AUS job and.....being posted. He now coaches Pakistan with success. An argument is that foreigners don't understand Aussie culture and attitudes. Find that quite lame . Must be another reason.
Train Without A Station
Guest
Continue to? They have laid off the people that were always going to be laid off when the Force were folded. You can't keep blaming them for the same thing and try to frame it as something new.
robel
Roar Pro
No surprise the ERU has continued to stab WA rugby in the back. When the Spirit finish this year 15 staff will lose their jobs. Looks like it will be the end of the road for the Spirit as there won't be 15 staff re-employed to do the work.
Train Without A Station
Guest
No. As I have repeatedly pointed out, the Rebels had a severe injury toll. The Force did not. The Force used 2 players outside their squad for a total of 11 appearances. The Rebels used 7 players for something like 50 appearances. That's a severe injury toll.
Ex force fan
Guest
His ability to cope with a severe injury toll and continue to develop young players under enormous pressure of being the coach of the team that the ARU targets must be incredibly difficult. The Revels fell apart under an established coach while Wessels managed to keep the team focused. His a good coach however the Rebels role is for a coach like Meyer, Jones, Deans etc that is well established. Genia, I predict, will be a handful...
Ex force fan
Guest
Australia doesn't have a good history with non Aussies national coaches. Deans was sacked and how many Superugby titles did he won? He was always an outsider and his treatment by the NSW ans QLD players and administration have been disgraceful. I think Wessels need to be realistic as his only chance to become the Australian coach is to coach NSW. There is no upside in the Rebels coaching position just downside.
Ex force fan
Guest
The EARU have no real intentions to maintain the Spirit. Not a surprise that they lied again.