Bath Rugby has promoted Marc Beggs to the role of Head of Medical and Rehabilitation Services following the departure of Byron Field in June.

Byron joined Bath Rugby from Super Rugby franchise ACT Brumbies in 2018 and since then has worked tirelessly with the club’s High Performance Unit to ensure all players are given the most effective medical care, both when they are fit and when they are returning from injury. His decision to leave Bath Rugby was unforeseen with a family emergency requiring him to return home to Australia.

Marc, who thrived under the leadership of Byron since joining the club in 2020 has been promoted from Lead Rehabilitation Physiotherapist to Head of Medical and Rehabilitation Services.

In his role, Marc is responsible for further developing the club’s scientific approach and rigour towards the prevention, management, and rehabilitation of sports injuries. Alike to Byron, his work not only focuses on return to play following injury, but also to the squad when they are fit and well.

“In the short-term, my first priority remains to maximise availability and support player welfare. To achieve this, it is absolutely crucial to manage every single interaction of our athletes. Medically, every decision we make in our rugby programme, whether it is in strength and conditioning, analysis, or in the medical room must support these objectives," commented Marc Beggs.

“As a team, the medical and high-performance unit has experienced significant change over the past six years and providing stability with people, processes and systems is critical to developing our team in order to grow the service we provide to our players.

“In the medium and long term our ambition is to develop world-class systems and processes to aid world-class performances for Bath Rugby. Evidence-based is at the forefront of our current rugby programme, but we are moving to a programme that develops this science. We have two members of our team undertaking PHDs which are embedded into our every day. Instead of practitioners practicing evidence, we are becoming practitioners developing and publishing evidence and that is an exciting time to be part of this club.”

Previously Marc held the role of Lead Rehabilitation Physiotherapist at the club which in the past year culminated in the development of a rehabilitation pathway. A system and process that exists to allow practitioners to use their own creativity, experience and individuality alongside their practice remaining safe, appropriate, and aggressive to ensure players returning to perform in the most efficient and effective way. Prior to joining Bath Rugby Marc was a practitioner at Munster Rugby.

Stuart Hooper, Director of Rugby, commented: "Firstly I would like to thank Byron and his family for everything they put into the club during their time in the UK. Byron had a huge impact on everyone here and we all wish him well back in Australia.

“The appointment of Marc is hugely exciting. We conducted a thorough search and interviewed some great practitioners from across the world. Whenever we recruit, we see it as an opportunity to develop our team, to increase our expertise and take our High-Performance Unit to the next level. Marc was the standout candidate showing excellent clinical skills, leadership and genuine hunger to learn and develop. Marc will work alongside PJ Wilson to lead the HPU to the next level and allow our players to perform at their very best in the blue, black and white.”

Bath appoint Marc Beggs as Head of Medical and Rehabilitation Services

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