David Wessels

{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}

{{Infobox rugby union biography

| name = David Wessels

| image =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1982}}

| birth_place = Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa

| height =

| weight =

| nickname =

| occupation =

| school = St Stithians College

| university = University of Cape Town

| relatives =

| position =

| currentclub =

| coachteams1 = Stormers (consultant)

| coachyears1 = 2008–2009

| coachteams2 = UCT Ikey Tigers (assistant)

| coachyears2 = 2009–2011

| coachteams3 = Brumbies (consultant)

| coachyears3 = 2012–2013

| coachteams4 = Western Force (assistant)

| coachyears4 = 2014–2016

| coachteams5 = Perth Spirit

| coachyears5 = 2014

| coachteams6 = Western Force

| coachyears6 = 2016–2017

| coachteams7 = Melbourne Rebels

| coachyears7 = 2017–2021

}}

David Wessels (born 1983{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Lynn |title=Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/springboks/dave-wessels-backed-by-rassie-leaves-wp-role-to-be-sa-rugbys-general-manager-20240316 |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Sport |language=en-US}}), is a South African-Australian professional rugby union football coach. He is currently General Manager of High Performance at SA Rugby.{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Lynn |title=Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/springboks/dave-wessels-backed-by-rassie-leaves-wp-role-to-be-sa-rugbys-general-manager-20240316 |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Sport |language=en-US}}

He was previously head coach of the Melbourne Rebels team that compete in the Super Rugby competition. Before moving to Melbourne, Dave became the youngest head coach in Super Rugby history{{Cite web |date=Mar 17, 2024 |title=Wessels packs brains in the SA Rugby set-up |url=https://www.iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/sport/wessels-packs-brains-in-the-sa-rugby-set-up-815bd0da-38bc-4f58-b82b-8fdf2806783f |website=IOL}} when he was appointed head coach at the Western Force, in Perth and co-head coach of the Perth Spirit in Australia's National Rugby Championship. South African born, Wessels is a naturalised Australian citizen.

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.{{Cite web |title=Wessels packs brains in the SA Rugby set-up |url=https://www.iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/sport/wessels-packs-brains-in-the-sa-rugby-set-up-815bd0da-38bc-4f58-b82b-8fdf2806783f }} He was a defensive consultant under Rassie Erasmus{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Lynn |title=Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/springboks/dave-wessels-backed-by-rassie-leaves-wp-role-to-be-sa-rugbys-general-manager-20240316 |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Sport |language=en-US}} 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.

He moved to Australia as an assistant coach{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Lynn |title=Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/springboks/dave-wessels-backed-by-rassie-leaves-wp-role-to-be-sa-rugbys-general-manager-20240316 |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Sport |language=en-US}} 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. He joined the Western Force as the senior assistant coach for the 2013 Super Rugby season. 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.

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.

Following the Australian Rugby Union's decision to exclude the Force from Super Rugby after the 2017 season, Wessels joined the Melbourne Rebels as head coach in September 2017, signing a two-year deal with the team. He coached the team for three and a half seasons before departing ahead of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition in 2021.{{cite press release | url=https://melbournerebels.rugby/news/2021/04/30/rebels-club-announcement | title=Club Update: Wessels Stands Down as Melbourne Rebels Head Coach | publisher=Melbourne Rebels | date=30 April 2021 | access-date=30 April 2021}}

Wessels then returned to Cape Town and was appointed as Head of Rugby{{Cite web |last=on |first=Published |date=2024-03-16 |title=Wessels lands top job with SA Rugby |url=https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/wessels-lands-top-job-sa-rugby/ |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=SA Rugby magazine |language=en-US}} for the DHL Stormers,{{Cite web |date=2023-05-26 |title=All you need to know: Vodacom URC Grand Final |url=https://thestormers.com/all-you-need-to-know-vodacom-urc-grand-final/ |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=The Stormers}} 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{{Cite web |last=Butler |first=Lynn |title=Dave Wessels backed by Rassie, leaves WP role to be SA Rugby's general manager |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/springboks/dave-wessels-backed-by-rassie-leaves-wp-role-to-be-sa-rugbys-general-manager-20240316 |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=Sport |language=en-US}} by two-time World Cup winning coach Rassie Erasmus.

Wessels holds various club records, including 'most winning seasons{{cite web | url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-06-18-stormers-weather-bulls-early-onslaught-to-win-inaugural-urc-title/ | title=Stormers weather Bulls' early onslaught to win inaugural URC title | date=18 June 2022 }}{{cite web | access-date=2024-05-16 | url=https://vic.rugby/about/about-us/history | title=History {{!}} Rugby Victoria | website=vic.rugby}}' at his previous three clubs (Western Force, Melbourne Rebels and DHL Stormers)