Wisbech Rugby Club have added a wealth of experience to their management team for the 2020-21 season.

Wisbech Standard: Gerhard Wessels has been named as head coach of Wisbech Rugby Club, and will be assisted by Mark Goude and Mark Laws for the 2020-21 season. Picture: WISBECH RUGBY CLUBGerhard Wessels has been named as head coach of Wisbech Rugby Club, and will be assisted by Mark Goude and Mark Laws for the 2020-21 season. Picture: WISBECH RUGBY CLUB (Image: Archant)

Gerhard Wessels has been appointed head coach to replace the outgoing Nico Steenkamp, and will work with Mark Goude as assistant coach and Mark Laws, who played 19 senior seasons at the club, as strength and conditioning coach.

Wessels, known to his teammates as ‘Wessie’, joined Wisbech from Saffron Walden in January and has featured for the likes of the British Army Seniors XV for over 10 years and Royal Engineers RFC.

The utility back, who has more than nine years of top-flight coaching experience, was also part of the Cambridge squad that won the National League Division Two South title.

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Leonard Veenendaal, director of rugby at Wisbech Rugby Club, said: “Wessie is a fierce competitor and a true professional, which is exactly the type of player-coach we want in our squad.

“His proven track record in gaining better success rates, his excellent working ethic with fellow coaches and his canny ability to build a strong squad of players based on mutual respect and support, I had no doubt we had found the right person for the job.

“I am looking forward to seeing the squad, the young players and fellow coaches grow under his coaching leadership.”