Ed Hollis, Leicester Tigers head of medical services, has joined the Wallabies medical staff ahead of the 2019 Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup.
Hollis, originally from Australia, has held the top job in the Tigers medical team since 2015 and will return to his position in Leicester at the conclusion of Australia’s Cup campaign.
My goals and hopes are that the things I experience and see while with Australian Rugby, a two-time World Cup winning outfit, will be brought back to and benefit the Tigers when I return
Ed Hollis
Speaking about the opportunity, Hollis said: “It’s like any other staff member going on a CPD (continuing professional development) trip - to experience another high performance environment and improve.”
“Admittedly, this one is probably longer than most trips and at the pointy end of the international rugby calendar - being a World Cup year - as well as having a small crossover with the beginning of the new Premiership season.
“My goals and hopes are that the things I experience and see while with Australian Rugby, a two-time World Cup winning outfit, will be brought back to and benefit the Tigers when I return.
“It is not just from the medical perspective as well, but also from what I can learn and bring back to help offer a different point of view for our strength and conditioning, recovery, organisational, travel and management perspectives.”
Hollis becomes the second current Tigers staff member to have undertaken a CPD trip in 2019 after senior development coach Brett Deacon travelled to New Zealand at the back-end of the 2018/19 season for successive weeks with Super Rugby teams the Highlanders and reigning champions, the Crusaders.
Currently, Tigers academy graduates James Whitcombe and Sam Eveleigh are also in the Southern Hemisphere on exchange, playing and training as part of Sydney University Football Club - where international stars Nick Farr-Jones, Phil Waugh, Dan Vickerman and more recently Nick Phipps and Bernard Foley were discovered.
Ed is a world class operator in his field and since joining Tigers a handful of seasons ago, has helped us develop and improve our medical services to the highest of standards
Simon Cohen
The new exchange programme with Sydney University will provide mutual benefits for not only players and coaches, but staff from both Tigers and the Australian club in the future.
Speaking about Hollis and recent development opportunities abroad for members of the club, Tigers CEO Simon Cohen said: “Ed is a world class operator in his field and since joining Tigers a handful of seasons ago, has helped us develop and improve our medical services to the highest of standards.”
“While you never want people of Ed’s quality to be away for any length of time, the opportunity for him to experience a World Cup campaign and continue his own development is one that we feel he deserves.
“Selfishly, we will also reap the benefits of him being in an environment of international standards and undoubtedly gain in the long run from Ed experiencing what is the pinnacle of our game - a Rugby World Cup.
“The opportunity for Ed is a just reward for his own success and, thanks to his tireless efforts in improving his department here in Leicester since joining Tigers, we have full faith in the medical team that Ed has left in charge.
“Ultimately, we know that there is always improvement in everything we do and chances like this for Ed, as well as that which Brett [Deacon] experienced last season and the young Tigers in Australia are experiencing as part of Sydney University, are huge positives for our club and the individuals involved.”
