British & Irish Lions 2021 back-room team

Find out who is on the S&C, medical and analysis teams for the tour of South Africa

British & Irish Lions 2021 back-room team

Warren Gatland has confirmed his back-room team for the British & Irish Lions 2021 tour to South Africa.

Gatland had already appointed four assistant coaches – Neil Jenkins, Robin McBryde, Steve Tandy and Gregor Townsend. Now he has announced who is involved from a medical, analysis, and strength and conditioning perspective.

Related: Warren Gatland’s Lions 2021 coaching team

Given the Covid-19 pandemic, the medical team will have an even bigger role to play than on a normal tour and that will be headed up by Prabhat ‘Prav’ Mathema, who has been part of the Wales set-up for a decade and toured with the Lions in 2009, 2013 and 2017.

Paul ‘Bobby’ Stridgeon will also be going on his fourth Lions tour, this time in his role as head of strength and conditioning, while the WRU’s Rhodri Bown will once again take charge of performance analysis.

“I am thrilled to have secured a world-class performance team,” said Gatland.

“For obvious reasons, this summer’s Lions tour to South Africa will be a bit different. It will present a number of unique challenges, not only for the players, but the staff too – who all work so incredibly hard behind the scenes.

“I know that whatever challenges we may face on tour we’ll deal with them in the best way possible.”

British & Irish Lions 2021 back-room team

Medical Team

Prabhat Mathema – Head of Medical (WRU)

Dr Geoff Davies – Doctor (WRU)

Dr Ciaran Cosgrave – Doctor (IRFU)

Bob Stewart – Physio (RFU)

John Miles – Physio (WRU)

Ann-Marie Birmingham – Soft-tissue therapist (RFU)

Hanlie Fouche – Soft-tissue therapist (WRU)

Strength & Conditioning Team

Paul Stridgeon – Head of Strength & Conditioning (WRU)

Jon Clarke – Strength & conditioning coach (RFU)

Huw Bennett – Strength & conditioning coach (WRU)

Brian Cunniffe – Sports scientist (English Institute of Sport)

Analysis Team

Rhodri Bown – Head of Analysis (WRU)

Lions 2021 back-room team

Analyst Vinny Hammond on the 2017 Lions tour (Getty Images)

Vinny Hammond – Analyst (IRFU)

Marc Kinnaird – Analyst (WRU)

Gavin Vaughan – Analyst (SRU)

The Lions will convene in Jersey for a training camp on 13 June ahead of the pre-tour Test against Japan on 26 June at BT Murrayfield. They will then embark on an eight-match tour of South Africa, including three Tests against the world champions.

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