Emotional trip west for Dave Wessels as Rebels take on Force

For Rebels coach Dave Wessels and half a dozen of his players it will be an emotional homecoming to Perth.

Melbourne Rebels coach Dave Wessels. Picture: Getty Images

For coach Dave Wessels and half a dozen of his players it will be an emotional homecoming when the Melbourne Rebels travel to Perth to do battle with the Western Force in a World Series Rugby fixture at nib Stadium on Saturday night.

The match, which will directly follow a live telecast of the Australia-Ireland Test from Brisbane, has been billed as “a grudge match”, with the Rebels having been the main beneficiary of the axing of the old Force Super Rugby side.

It was always the Rebels and Force that the Australian Rugby Union had identified as the two teams in contention for the axe, although it came as no surprise when the Force were chosen, purely because they could more easily be shut down.

But the months in which both clubs remained in limbo brought them closer together and it was no real surprise that most of the Force players elected to go to Melbourne, as did coach Wessels. They were the only Australian Super Rugby club to agree to play the Force when they were reformed under Perth billionaire Andrew Forrest, although the Crusaders of New Zealand also have agreed to play them in their next match in a fortnight.

“It’s going to be a special occasion and I’m proud of the fact that the Rebels are supporting everybody over in WA,” Wessels said. “For us, those of us that are from there, it’s going to be particularly special.

“The way everything went down last year, and the lack of processes, everyone was actually on leave when the news about the Force came through and in some way we didn’t have the opportunity to say goodbye to each other properly.

“I wasn’t actually sure that I’d have the chance to coach at nib Stadium again. On a personal level, that’s going to be pretty special. But I think the more important thing is that our club has made the commitment because rugby people on our end would like to support rugby people on their end and the game that we love and try to make it work for everybody. That’s pretty special and I’m proud to be part of that.”

The Rebels have not yet finalised their side but it is understood that former Force players Ross Haylett-Petty, Billy Meakes, Matt Philip, Michael Ruru, Angus Cotterell and Nathan Charles will all return to WA to play against the Perth club.

“There are a couple there that are obviously involved with ­Wallabies stuff that can’t make it, Adam Coleman and Dane ­Haylett-Petty,” Wessels said.

It is understood that Anaru Rangi, another Force product, has a minor back problem but after having an epidural, he should be fit within a week in the event that the Wallabies come calling for another hooker.

“But we will take a good side over and that’s in the spirit of the contest,” Wessels said. “We want to put on a game that people want to come and see and it’s important that we take the players that people over there want to come and watch. So we’ll certainly try to do that. We obviously want to go and win but we want to win in the right spirit because we understand that this game is as much about ­promoting rugby as it is about ­winning.”

Meanwhile, NSW Rugby yesterday announced that it would return to having just two teams, Sydney and NSW Country, in this year’s National Rugby Championships.