IRFU appoint new fitness coach

The IRFU has announced the appointment of Philip Morrow as the new Head of Fitness.

Morrow has worked with the IRFU and provincial teams for over nine years.

A graduate of the University of Ulster where he holds an MSc (Masters) in Sports and Exercise, he began his career initially with the Ulster Rugby Academy in 2001 where he quickly moved to the role of National Academy Fitness Manager in 2002, a role he combined while working with the Ireland U19 and U21 representative sides.

Morrow worked as the Head of Strength and Conditioning with Ulster Rugby from October 2003, being part of the management team that won the Celtic Cup in 2003-04 and the Magners League in 2005-06.

He left this role on 2008 to take up the position of IRFU High Performance Fitness Manager with responsibility for the fitness structures for underage elite players in Ireland.

He has also provided his expertise to various GAA representative teams and has also worked with the Manchester City Football Academy players.

Belfast native Morrow, who takes over the role from the retiring Dr Liam Hennessey, said: "The physical demands of rugby are constantly evolving, and we must ensure that we stay ahead of our competitors by being innovative in our approach.

"The structures in the IRFU and within the provincial teams have made significant advances over the years and these are due in no small part to the work of Dr Liam Hennessey. I have worked with Liam for nearly a decade and my aim along with the provincial heads of fitness is to continue that progress."