JW Bell

{{Short description|South African rugby union player (born 1990)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = JW Bell

| image =

| fullname = John-Wessel Bell

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|01|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Cape Town, South Africa

| height = {{height|m=1.75}}

| weight = {{convert|80|kg|stlb lb|0|abbr=on}}

| nickname =

| occupation =

| school = Eldoraigne High School

| university = University of Pretoria

| relatives =

| position = Full-Back / Wing

| currentclub = CR El Salvador

| youthyears1 = 2009–2010

| youthclubs1 = {{Rut|Pumas}}

| years1 = 2011–2012

| clubs1 = {{Rut|Falcons}}

| apps1 = 29

| points1 = 60

| years2 = 2013–2015

| clubs2 = {{Rut|Pumas}}

| apps2 = 55

| points2 = 95

| years3 = 2016

| clubs3 = {{Rut|Lions}}

| apps3 = 2

| points3 = 0

| years4 = 2015-2016

| clubs4 = {{Rut|Golden Lions}}

| apps4 = 1

| points4 = 5

| years5 = 2016–2022

| clubs5 = Valladolid RAC

| apps5 = 36

| points5 = 144

| years6= 2022–present

| clubs6 = CR El Salvador

| apps6 =

| points6 =

| clubupdate = 16 November 2024

|ru_nationalyears = 2019–2025

|ru_nationalteam = Spain

|ru_nationalcaps = 25

|ru_nationalpoints = (40)

|ru_ntupdate = 18 February 2025

}}

John-Wessel Bell is a professional rugby union player who plays for Spanish División de Honor side CR El Salvador. Born in South Africa, he played for the Spain national rugby union team.{{SA Rugby Player Profile | id=50079 | name=JW Bell | date=4 June 2016}}{{cite web | work=sportunplugged.co.za | url=http://sportunplugged.co.za/index.php/component/content/article/2-uncategorised/41-mbombela-stadium-finally-home-of-the-pumas | title=Mbombela Stadium finally home of the Pumas |access-date=8 April 2013}}

Bell is a utility back who can play as a full-back, wing or fly-half.

He was a member of the Pumas side that won the Vodacom Cup for the first time in 2015, beating {{Rut|Western Province}} 24–7 in the final.{{cite web| title=Steval Pumas first-time Vodacom Cup champions – Final Review | date=31 May 2015 | access-date=9 June 2016 | url=http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?category=sarugby/vodacomcup&id=3030244 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609204339/http://www.sarugby.co.za/article.aspx?category=sarugby/vodacomcup&id=3030244 | url-status=dead | archive-date=9 June 2016}} Bell made seven appearances during the season, scoring one try.

He signed a contract to join Johannesburg-based side the {{Rut|Golden Lions}} prior to the 2016 season.{{cite web | url=http://www.netwerk24.com/sport/rugby/2015-10-07-stefan-watermeyer-verruil-pumas-vir-kings-leeus-gaps-jw-bell | title=Stefan Watermeyer verruil Pumas vir Kings, Leeus gaps JW Bell | work=Netwerk24 | date=7 October 2015 | access-date=8 October 2015 | language=af}}

After the 2016 Currie Cup, Bell joined Spanish División de Honor side Valladolid RAC until 2022 when he signed for the city's rival team, CR El Salvador.{{cite press release | url=http://www.valladolidrac.com/contenido.php?art_id=7139 | title=El zaguero sudafricano John-Wessel Bell, nueva pieza para el VRAC 2016/2017 | publisher=Valladolid RAC | date=4 December 2016 | access-date=9 January 2017 | language=es}}{{cite web | url=http://ferugby.habitualdata.com/FerFichaFederado.aspx?idFederado=10142 | title=Ficha Federado | work=Federación Española de Rugby | access-date=9 January 2017 | language=es}}

On 23 November 2019, it debuted with the Spanish National Team in a test match against Hong Kong in the National Stadium Complutense.{{Cite web |date=23 November 2019 |title=España gana con claridad a Hong Kong en su último encuentro amistoso del año |url=https://www.marca.com/rugby/2019/11/23/5dd96be446163f0f8d8b45cd.html |access-date=29 January 2020 |website=Marca.com |language=es}} With the selection contested several tournaments of the Rugby Europe International Championships and the qualifiers to the 2023 Rugby World Cup where Spain was disqualified, and for the 2027 Rugby World Cup where Spain classified after winning to Netherlands and Switzerland. It announced his international withdrawal on 18 February 2025 with 35 years, having contested 25 caps official and noted 40 points.{{Cite web |date= 18 February 2025 |title=JOHN-WESSEL BELL OFICIALIZA SU RENUNCIA A LA SELECCIÓN ESPAÑOLA |url=https://ferugby.es/john-wessel-bell-oficializa-su-renuncia-a-la-seleccion-espanola/ |website=FERugby.es |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=18 February 2025 |title=John-Wessel Bell anuncia su retirada de la selección española |url=https://www.marca.com/rugby/2025/02/18/john-wessel-bell-anuncia-retirada-seleccion-espanola.html |website=Marca.com |language=es}}