REBELS BOSS IS NEW FAVOURITE
THE Scarlets’ hopes of making Rob Penney their next head coach are over — and the Llanelli-based region are now looking at Melbourne Rebels boss David Wessels.
Former Munster coach Penney had agreed terms on succeeding Wayne Pivac at Parc y Scarlets, but the 54-year-old is now set to stay with current side NTT Communications Shining Arcs.
It is understood Penney’s wife had a last-minute change of heart on a move to Llanelli and wanted to stay in Japan, where her husband coaches.
It’s left the Scarlets to look at other options from their three-man shortlist and South African Wessels, who was interviewed for the job three weeks ago, is now back in the frame.
Wessels is thought to face competition from one other candidate for the Scarlets job, but it is also understood an announcement on who will take over from Pivac is imminent.
The region’s players are set to be told the identity of their new head coach this week.
Wessels’s appointment is by no means a done deal, but the 36-yearold’s coaching CV marks him out as an impressive candidate even at such a relatively young age.
He began his professional career as defensive consultant to the Stormers before being recruited by South Africa’s World Cup-winning coach Jake White to take charge of the Brumbies’ defence.
Wessels had a significant impact at the Super Rugby outfit and the Brumbies conceded the fewest number of points in the Australian conference in 2012.
Next up for Wessels was his appointment as head coach of the now defunct Western Force.
The Force’s departure from Super Rugby then allowed him to join current outfit Rebels in 2017.
Wessels has never worked in the northern hemisphere, but prior to heading to Melbourne he was offered the chance to join Munster. Instead of moving to Ireland, he opted to remain in Australia.
The Scarlets, who were Guinness PRO14 finalists and Champions Cup semi-finalists last season, are looking for a coach to continue the free-flowing brand of rugby which Pivac has so successfully employed during his spell in West Wales.
Wessels is certainly a man who likes his teams to play.
In his time at the Rebels, he has successfully attracted Will Genia, Adam Coleman and Dane HaylettPetty to Melbourne, with all three Australian internationals full of praise for his coaching.