Rugby Management
Liam Middleton - Head Coach
Liam Middleton was appointed Head Coach at the beginning of the 2011/12 season.
After starting his coaching career in Natal, South Africa, Middleton joined the Hartpury Rugby Academy. From there, he went on to become the Talent ID Coach for the RFU before joining Bristol at the start of 2009/10 as Academy Manager. Over the past two years, he has developed the Academy to the point where it is now considered to be one of the strongest in the country.
Middleton is a RFU Level 4 qualified coach who is passionate about the club and developing young players as well as an exciting brand of rugby.
Mike Hall - Academy Manager
Mike Hall joined Bristol at the beginning of the 2011/12 season.
Hall worked with the Ospreys for two seasons before spending five years at Worcester Warriors as a Performance Analyst.
Hall graduated from Exeter University in 2000 with a BSc (Hons) in Exercise & Sports Science. He took a position at Eton College as a Physical Education Master before moving onto Hartpury College where he was Assistant Coach to the Senior Rugby 1st XV, one of the leading rugby institutions in the UK.
Hall is an RFU Level 3 Qualified Coach.
Matthew Sherratt - Academy Coach
Matthew Sherratt joined Bristol at the beginning of the 2011/12 season.
The 34 year-old spent four years as an Academy Coach at Worcester Warriors, having previously worked with Gloucester Rugby EPDG, Gloucestershire and Cheltenham Rugby. Sherratt specialises in back play and attack.
He is currently undertaking an RFU level 4 coaching qualification.
Lee Douglas - Head of Fitness
Lee Douglas joined the Club at the beginning of the 2011/12 season.
Formerly Academy Strength & Conditioning Coach at Worcester, Douglas departed Sixways after seven years before joining Edinburgh as Strength & Conditioning Coach.
His role extended to the Scottish Rugby Union where he had specific responsibility for the National Team players in preparation for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Douglas graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Sports Conditioning and Coaching from the University of West England. He also has an Msc in Sport & Exercise Science from the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff.
Andrew Petts - Strength & Conditioning
Andrew Petts joined Bristol Rugby during the 2007/8 season. One of the longest serving members of the backroom staff, Andrew began as an intern before spending time as a Junior Strength & Conditioning Coach, Academy Strength & Conditioning Coach and now as an Assistant to Lee Douglas. As well as being responsible for the conditioning of the first team squad, Andrew is the Team Manager for the 2011/12 season.
Andrew graduated from UWIC and has a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science. He is currently being certified by the NSCA.
Tom Hargroves - Academy Strength & Conditioning Coach
Tom Hargroves joined Bristol at the beginning of the 2011/12 season.
The 26 year-old graduated from University of Wales Institute Cardiff with a Msc in Sports & Exercise Science in 2010.
Hargroves brings with him a wealth of experience in elite sport, having worked with Badminton England and Wales, Pittsburgh Panthers American Football and Bristol Rugby during the 2009/10 campaign.
Dan Martin - Head Physiotherapist
Daniel Martin joined the Club at the beginning of the 2011/12 season.
Prior to the role, the 32 year-old enjoyed five seasons with Newport Gwent Dragons Rugby Club. After graduating from University of Liverpool in 2000, Martin spent three years at Royal Liverpool Teaching Hospital as a Junior and then a Senior Physiotherapist.
He has completed an Immediate Medical Management course and is working towards an MSc in Sports Physiotherapy. Martin brings with him a wealth of experience having previously worked at Widnes Vikings Rugby League Club before a stint with the Wales Sevens team in the build-up to the 2006 Hong-Kong Sevens.
Jonathan Williams - Team Doctor
Jonathan Williams joined the Club as team doctor during the 2010/11 season.
In this role he is responsible for planning the medical strategy for Bristol Rugby and accountable for its delivery.
A sports physician at Bristol University’s Centre for Sports, Exercise & Health, Williams is a keen marathon runner and triathlete.
Jo Probert - Team Doctor
Jo Probert joined Bristol Rugby as Team Doctor during the 2010/11 season, having previously worked with Bath.
Probert played for Bristol University Women’s Rugby and currently runs sports medicine clinics at Nuffield Health in Bristol.
A consultant in emergency medicine in Newport, Probert teaches sports and exercise medicine at Bath University.
