Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
New PhD studentships funded in partnership with Leeds Rugby
Jason Davidson (Head of Athletic Performance) and Dr Ben Jones (Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Physiology at our University and Head of Academy Athletic Development at Leeds Rugby) developed the initial proposal at the end of last season.
Jason and Ben identified key areas where they felt research would further develop the practice at the club, alongside Professor Carlton Cooke (Associate Dean Carnegie Research), Pete Mackreth (Head of School - Sport) and Dr John O'Hara.
The three successful applicants to the scheme are: Chris Black, Josh Darrall-Jones and Deborah Fearnley.
Chris Black will explore the effects of training and match-play on acute and chronic fatigue. Working closely with Jason Davidson, he will be supervised by Dr John O'Hara, Dr Ben Jones and Dr Kevin Till, who all have a vast amount of applied and research experience in rugby, helping to keep Brian McDermott's team fresh all the way through the season.
Josh Darrall-Jones will explore the physiological and anthropometric development in academy Rugby League and Rugby Union players, with consideration for match-play performance. Dr Kevin Till, Dr Ben Jones and Professor Carlton Cooke will supervise Josh. This specific PhD will look to develop new research into defining the key characteristics of junior rugby players.
Deborah Fearnley will look into the dietary requirements of academy rugby players. Dr Lauren Duckworth, Dr Ben Jones, Louise Sutton and Professor Rod King will supervise Deborah, who will be exploring the optimal diet for academy rugby players. This PhD demonstrates the commitment of the club to the health and well-being of the next generation of players involved at the club.
Dr Ben Jones commented: "The club and Leeds Metropolitan University should both be commended on this initiative, as it is not only fantastic for the club, but also for research within rugby. The commitment of the club to fund the three PhDs demonstrates the long-term vision of the staff at the club, especially Jason Davidson. Equally, the support of Professor Carlton Cooke shows the strength of the partnership between the University and the club on the ground. Engaging in activity like this also highlights that as a club, we are committed to doing things in the right way.
"Everyone is aware of the expertise that is available from Leeds Metropolitan University therefore, at the end of last season following a staffing change, appointing three PhD students who will be supervised by staff from Leeds Met was an obvious choice. Leeds Met has been a leader in rugby research for a long time. For example Dr Kevin Till is now regarded as a leading researcher in the physiological development of academy rugby players, which was part of the reason this opportunity was so exciting. Chris, Josh and Deborah all come with a lot of experience and expertise to help provide the best level of sports science to the players. The support that the university has offered the club is huge; likewise the opportunity for the three students to work with world-class players is also fantastic. This move demonstrates the club and University's initiative towards world-leading research and performance."