Matt Parker - new Head of Athletic Performance

He will be joined by new Senior team doctor Phil Batty, who arrives following spells with Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City.

England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster said: “The Head of Athletic Performance is a new and pivotal position as we build the team on and off the pitch. The field of applicants was extremely strong for a role that will head up the medical and strength and conditioning functions of the senior squad.

“The margins in international sport are very fine, as we have seen during the QBE Internationals just gone. Matt’s experience across a number of sports and his record with British Cycling, be it in Beijing and London or the Tour de France with Bradley Wiggins, says a lot about his skills in developing champions and we are looking forward to them transferring to a rugby environment.

"I’d like to welcome Matt and Phil on board ahead of the Six Nations and look forward to working with them.”

Parker said: "I've been impressed by Stuart's vision for the team and the RFU's commitment to a long term performance plan. There is a lot of great expertise, both within the England set up and throughout the Premiership clubs. I hope my experience of developing the support system within the Olympic environment will maximise this expertise for the benefit of the players. It's exciting times for England Rugby and I am happy to have the opportunity to work with the team."

Batty, a schoolboy prop forward at Lancaster Royal Grammar School, has also worked for the English Institute of Sport and at Sedbergh School, and replaces Dr Mike Bundy.

Matt Parker
Educated at Glasgow University, Matt spent two years working in the cardiology department at the Glasgow Western Infirmary before returning to the university to complete his postgraduate studies in exercise physiology.  In 2002 he took up a position as physiologist in the newly formed English Institute of Sport North West facility.  His role was to develop a physiology service for a number of sports in the North West including cycling, squash and disability swimming.  In 2006 the sports science structure was changed within British Cycling and Matt took on the role of Performance Scientist and 2007 saw Matt become the Olympic coach for the men's endurance squad.  He successfully coached the squad to two gold medals and two bronze medals at the Beijing Olympics, breaking world and Olympic records in the process.  In the 2009 Tour de France Bradley Wiggins equalled the highest finish by a British Rider with third overall and in that year Matt took on the position of Director of Marginal Gains for British Cycling in preparation for the London Olympic Games, which resulted in eight gold medals.