Western Force coach undecided on future
Sep 12, 2017 - 2:51 AM 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."
Source: AAP
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