Ejected Western Force coach picks up new Super Rugby gig

Former Western Force coach Tim Sampson has landed a new gig after being appointed as an assistant coach at the Melbourne Rebels.

Sampson coached the Force for five years, leading the club to its inaugural Super Rugby finals appearance in the all-Australian version of the competition in 2021.

He was told earlier this year that 2022 would be his last in charge of the Force, with the Perth-based franchise appointing Simon Cron as his successor.

Sampson has now joined the Rebels as their attack coach as a replacement for Ryan Martin, who has joined Toyota Verblitz in Japan.

"I know Tim will come in and compliment the core coaching group that returns from the 2022 season," Rebels chief executive Baden Stephenson said

Sampson was appointed Force coach in 2017 shortly after the club was axed from Super Rugby by Rugby Australia.

Billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest resurrected the club by launching the beginnings of a competition called Rapid Rugby.

The COVID-19 pandemic meant Rapid Rugby had to be cancelled in 2020 after just one round, but the setback had a silver lining - with the Force invited back into Super Rugby for the inaugural Super Rugby AU season.

The move became a permanent one, and Sampson masterminded a finals appearance for the Force in the 2021 season of Super Rugby AU.

The Force lost the semi-final 21-9 to the Brumbies in Canberra, and they narrowly missed a finals appearance in the inaugural campaign of Super Rugby Pacific this year.

- Justin Chadwick