Doctor lands top role with England Rugby team

A FORMBY medic has been appointed as the senior team doctor for the England rugby team. Dr Nigel Jones, who works at Liverpool's Aintree University Hospital, will lead a team of three physiotherapists and one soft tissue therapist to ensure that every player is fit and healthy for this year's QBE Internationals and during the RBS Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup next year. Dr Jones, who has lived in Formby for 18 years, said: “I have always loved rugby, I grew up playing the sport and if it wasn't for a knee injury sustained in my 20s I would probably still be playing the sport now! ”I guess it was following my injury that my passion for sports medicine grew, I have worked with several rugby teams including England Under 19 and Under 21 teams in the past so it's something I am really interested in. “Working alongside some of the world's most elite athletes is a great privilege and with the world cup taking place next year, it is a fantastic time to be involved in rugby. ”The thing I will enjoy most will be working with the players and knowing that the work me and my team are doing will help them recover from injury and get them back to their best possible health.“ England Rugby Union Head Coach, Stuart Lancaster said: ”Nigel is very familiar with England Rugby, having worked with our Under-19 and Under-21 teams. He has a wealth of sports medicine and rugby medical knowledge and we are looking forward to having him on board as we enter the QBE Internationals.“ Dr Jones is the clinical lead for the Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment Service (MCAS) at Aintree, which provides specialist assessment and treatment services for orthopaedic, rheumatology and sports medicine patients. He has previously worked with Liverpool FC and British Gymnastics and he is currently the team doctor for Gloucester Rugby.