David Wessels

Last updated

David Wessels
Date of birth1982 (age 41–42)
Place of birth Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa
School St Stithians College
University University of Cape Town
Rugby union career
Coaching career
YearsTeam
2008–2009 Stormers (consultant)
2009–2011 UCT Ikey Tigers (assistant)
2012–2013 Brumbies (consultant)
2014–2016 Western Force (assistant)
2014 Perth Spirit
2016–2017 Western Force
2017–2021 Melbourne Rebels

David Wessels (born 1983 [1] ), is a South African-Australian professional rugby union football coach. He is currently General Manager of High Performance at SA Rugby. [2]

He was previously head coach of the Melbourne Rebels team that compete in the Super Rugby competition. [3] Before moving to Melbourne, Dave became the youngest head coach in Super Rugby history [4] when he was appointed head coach at the Western Force, [5] in Perth and co-head coach of the Perth Spirit in Australia's National Rugby Championship. [6] South African born, Wessels is a naturalised Australian citizen. [7]

Wessels was born in Cape Town, South Africa, he then moved to Johannesburg where he attended St Stithians College before enrolling at Cape Town University where he completed a Masters in Information Technology. [8] He was a defensive consultant under Rassie Erasmus [9] to the Super Rugby team the Stormers in 2008 and 2009, before being appointed as an assistant coach at UCT (Ikeys) in the Varsity Cup from 2009 to 2011. [10]

He moved to Australia as an assistant coach [11] to the Brumbies under head coach Jake White in 2012, and had a significant influence on the rejuvenated Brumbies with the team conceding the fewest points in the Australian Conference and the second least in the Super Rugby competition. [12] [13] He joined the Western Force as the senior assistant coach for the 2013 Super Rugby season. [10] [13] Wessels was appointed, alongside Kevin Foote, as co-head coach of the Perth Spirit winning the inaugural season of Australia's National Rugby Championship in 2014. [6]

Wessels became the caretaker head coach of the Western Force for the last three games of 2016, before being appointed as head coach for the 2017 Super Rugby season. [5]

Following the Australian Rugby Union's decision to exclude the Force from Super Rugby after the 2017 season, [14] Wessels joined the Melbourne Rebels as head coach in September 2017, signing a two-year deal with the team. [3] He coached the team for three and a half seasons before departing ahead of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition in 2021. [15]

Wessels then returned to Cape Town and was appointed as Head of Rugby [16] for the DHL Stormers, [17] overseeing a very successful period at the club which saw them win the inaugural URC (United Rugby Championship) competition and host the final in back-to-back seasons. He was headhunted for the role at SA Rugby [18] by two-time World Cup winning coach Rassie Erasmus.

Wessels holds various club records, including 'most winning seasons [19] [20] ' at his previous three clubs (Western Force, Melbourne Rebels and DHL Stormers)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stormers</span> South African rugby union club, based in Cape Town

The Stormers is a South African professional rugby union team based in Cape Town in the Western Cape that competes in the United Rugby Championship, a trans-hemispheric competition that also involves sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. They competed in the Super Rugby competition until 2020. They have won one major international championship, the 2021-22 United Rugby Championship, and seven South African 'conference' titles, five in the South African Conference of Super Rugby, and two in the URC equivalent, the South African Shield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan Brown (rugby league, born 1973)</span> Australian RL coach and former professional rugby league footballer

Nathan Brown is an Australian professional rugby league football coach who was the Head Coach of the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s.

Johan "Rassie" Erasmus is a South African rugby union coach and former player. He was the head coach of the South African national team from 2018 to the end of their 2019 World Cup campaign, doubling up on his duties as the first ever SARU Director of Rugby, to which he was appointed towards the end of 2017. He lead South Africa to win the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and 2023. He also won the 2019 World Rugby Coach of the Year award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby Victoria</span> Member and founding union of Rugby Australia

Rugby Victoria, formerly the Victorian Rugby Union, is a member and founding union of Rugby Australia. Within the state of Victoria, it is the governing body for the sport of rugby union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne Rebels</span> Rugby team

The Melbourne Rebels were an Australian professional rugby union team based in Melbourne that competed in the Super Rugby Pacific competition. The Rebels made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. The club shared its name with a former Australian Rugby Championship team, but was unrelated. The team played home matches at AAMI Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Friend</span> Rugby player

Andrew Friend is an Australian rugby union coach and former player. He completed his most recent post as Director of Rugby for Irish province Connacht at the end of the 2022/23 URC season. He was previously head coach of the Australia Sevens team, the Brumbies in Super Rugby, English club Harlequins, and Canon Eagles and Suntory Sungoliath in the Japanese Top League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby union in Victoria</span>

Rugby union in Victoria describes the sport of rugby union being played and watched in the state of Victoria in Australia. The code was first introduced some time between the 1850s and 1880s but remained a minor sport played primarily in the private schools and amongst interstate expats. This has changed, particularly since the professionalisation of the game in the mid 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne Rising</span> Australian rugby union club, based in Melbourne

The Melbourne Rising was an Australian rugby union team based in Melbourne that competed in the National Rugby Championship (NRC). The team represented the rugby community in Victoria and was organised and managed by Rugby Victoria with the coaching and training programs used by the Melbourne Rebels being extended to players joining the team from the Rebels, the local Dewar Shield competition, and local Victorian juniors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demetri Catrakilis</span> South African rugby union player

Demetri Catrakilis is a South African former professional rugby union player. He played for Premiership side Harlequins, Top 14 side Montpellier, for the Stormers and the Southern Kings in Super Rugby and Pro 14, for Western Province in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competitions and for the UCT Ikey Tigers in the Varsity Cup. His regular playing position was fly-half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nizaam Carr</span> South African rugby union footballer

Nizaam Carr is a South African rugby union footballer who plays as a back rower. He is renowned for his athleticism and linking play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Carter (rugby union)</span> Australian rugby union player

Sam Carter is an Australian professional rugby union player who plays lock for Western Force in Super Rugby. He formerly played for the Brumbies from 2011 to 2019, and won 16 caps for Australia between 2014 and 2017, before spending 2019–2023 playing for Ulster in the URC he then played for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby, England's top division.

Damien Hill is a three-time Shute Shield winning coach, and was formerly the head coach of the Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby franchise. Initially appointed as an assistant coach with the club in 2011, Hill was appointed head coach after the resignation of inaugural Rebels coach Rod Macqueen at the end of 2011. He is currently the head coach of Japanese side Ricoh Black Rams in the Top League.

Jean Kleyn is a South African professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Irish United Rugby Championship club Munster and the South Africa national team. He came on as a replacement during South Africa’s 2023 World Cup win vs New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Foote (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Kevin Foote is a South African professional rugby union football coach, and a former player for the South African sevens national team. He is currently based in Australia and is currently serving as the interim head coach of the Melbourne Rebels, after previously serving as their defence coach.

Zane Hilton is an Australian professional rugby union coach. He is currently an assistant coach of the Super Rugby team the Melbourne Rebels. He was appointed as head coach of the Melbourne Rising team in Australia's National Rugby Championship in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reece Hodge</span> Rugby player

Reece Hodge is an Australian professional rugby union player who plays as a back. After playing his junior career primarily at fly-half, Hodge initially played fullback and wing for the Rebels, and primarily played wing for Australia, before eventually moving to centre. In his most recent appearance for Australia Hodge played at inside centre. Hodge currently plays for French club Bayonne in the Top 14 and the Australia national team. Hodge started his professional career in Super Rugby with the Melbourne Rebels, where he reached 100 appearances and became the team's most capped player before his departure in 2023.

Jacques Nienaber is a South African rugby union coach who is currently the senior coach at Leinster. He led South Africa to their 4th World Cup title in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johann van Graan</span> Rugby player

Johann Christoffel van Graan is a South African rugby union coach, currently the head coach for Bath.

References

  1. ↑ Butler, Lynn. "Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager". Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  2. ↑ Butler, Lynn. "Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager". Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Rebels appoint David Wessels as new Head Coach" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. 29 September 2017. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  4. ↑ "Wessels packs brains in the SA Rugby set-up". IOL. 17 March 2024.
  5. 1 2 "David Wessels Appointed Head Coach of the Western Force" (Press release). Western Force. 7 September 2016. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Spirit unveils coaching squad for Buildcorp NRC" (Press release). RugbyWA. 5 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  7. ↑ "One Percenters: Rebels emerge as Slipper's possible new home". Rugby.com.au. 12 August 2018. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Wessels packs brains in the SA Rugby set-up".
  9. ↑ Butler, Lynn. "Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager". Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Coaching Staff". WA Rugby. 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  11. ↑ Butler, Lynn. "Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager". Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  12. ↑ Barbeler, David (27 April 2013). "Wessels switch means same old line in defence". The Canberra Times. Fairfax. Archived from the original on 6 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Force snare SA defence coach". Sport 24. 26 November 2012. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  14. ↑ "Force cut after arbitration finds in favour of ARU" (Press release). Australian Rugby Union. 11 August 2017. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  15. ↑ "Club Update: Wessels Stands Down as Melbourne Rebels Head Coach" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  16. ↑ on, Published (16 March 2024). "Wessels lands top job with SA Rugby". SA Rugby magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  17. ↑ "All you need to know: Vodacom URC Grand Final". The Stormers. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  18. ↑ Butler, Lynn. "Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager". Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  19. ↑ "Stormers weather Bulls' early onslaught to win inaugural URC title". 18 June 2022.
  20. ↑ "History | Rugby Victoria". vic.rugby. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.