David Wessels
| Full name | David Wessels | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1982 (age 33–34) | ||
| Place of birth | Cape Town, South Africa | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Current status | |||
| Position(s) | Head Coach | ||
| Current team | Western Force | ||
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| 2014 2016–pres. |
Perth Spirit Western Force | ||
David Wessels (born 1982), is a South African professional rugby union football coach. He is currently based in Australia and is the head coach of the Western Force team that plays in the Super Rugby competition.[1] He was previously senior assistant coach at the Force and was also appionted co-head coach of the Perth Spirit in Australia's National Rugby Championship in 2014.[2]
Wessels was born in Cape Town, South Africa, where he attended St Stithians College and the Cape Town University. He was a defensive consultant 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.[3]
He moved to Australia as a defensive consultant 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.[4][5] He joined the Western Force as the senior assistant coach for the 2013 Super Rugby season.[3][5] Wessels was appointed, alongside Kevin Foote, as co-head coach of the Perth Spirit for the inaugural season of Australia's National Rugby Championship in 2014.[2]
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.[1]
References
- 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.
- 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.
- 1 2 "Coaching Staff". WA Rugby. 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ↑ 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.
- 1 2 "Force snare SA defence coach". Sport 24. 26 November 2012. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2014.