Western Force name former Melbourne Rebels skipper Michael Wells as captain for 2023
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Western Force backrower Michael Wells has been named captain for the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.
Wells joined the club at the start of the year from the Rebels, who they will play in Saturday's opening game at HBF Park.
The Western Force is thrilled to announce the team's 2023 Captain... Michael Wells 👏
— Western Force (@westernforce) February 19, 2023
Read more here: https://t.co/va3cq8x3NI pic.twitter.com/ryIbznjqNP
Wells is the seventh captain in the club's history since 2006, taking over from hooker Feleti Kaitu'u.
He led the Rebels in 2022 and believes the experience will only make him better heading into the future.
"I definitely learned a lot from having my first experience as a captain of a Super Rugby team last year (Melbourne Rebels). What I'll bring to this role is knowing to put my performance first, and if I'm doing my job, it gives my words a bit more value when I speak," he believes.
"I also learned that you need to connect with people on a higher level as a captain. Knowing that you have to build relationships with people so they trust you on the field, they trust what you're saying, and they trust that you've got their best interests at play.
"We've got a great group here. Forwards wise, Folau (Fainga'a), (Izack) Rodda, and Feleti, I can lean on them to deliver messages. In the backs, Hamish (Stewart), Bryce Hegarty, Ian Prior, Sam Spink...this allows me to step back, and focus on my performance at times, but then also gives my words more power when I choose to speak because it's not getting delivered to people all the time."
