Professor Nicola Phillips OBE, who is a Board member on UK Anti-Doping and Commonwealth Games Council for Wales, has been appointed as a Non-Executive Member of the WRPA.
A Professor in physiotherapy, at Cardiff University’s School of Healthcare Sciences, Nicola is Programme Manager for the MSc in Sport and Exercise Physiotherapy.
Nicola was awarded and OBE on the Queen’s New Year Honours list in 2019 for her long service to the profession, academically, clinically and through sport.
Having worked in physiotherapy and sport at various levels, from recreational to high performance, for over 35 years Nicola is highly regarded in her field and has led the UK or international professional body sports physiotherapy organisation over her career.
After working for the NHS and the private sector a role in academia at Cardiff University beckoned in 1999.
In addition to her academic work Nicola attended her first Commonwealth Games as a physiotherapist in 1986 with her role as Chef de Mission for Team Wales in Gold Coast being her 9th Commonwealth Games.
Barcelona 1992 was Nicola’s first Olympic Games and she became head physiotherapist at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. She was also a volunteer in 2012 at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, leading a physiotherapy team at the Athlete Village polyclinic.
Her extensive sports experience also includes Welsh and British Weightlifting teams, professional rugby Union as well as providing consultancy support to Wales Touch Association.
Commenting on the appointment Professor Nicola Phillips OBE said; “It is an honour to have been appointed as a Non-Executive with the Welsh Rugby Players Association.
“Playing a part in helping develop professionals who can support elite professional athletes is very rewarding. In turn I hope that my expertise in the field of sports injury management, and beyond, can help Wales’ professional rugby players not only reach their potential but maintain their highest level of fitness and mobility.”
Barry Cawte, WRPA Chief Executive, said: “Nicola is one of the best in the business and it’s with great delight that we welcome her to our panel of experts. Her knowledge, experience and professional expertise is second to none and will undoubtedly be a great source of support to our members.”
Nicola’s appointment extends the WRPA’s Non-Executive Board to six members, alongside Phil Lane, former Chief Executive of the British Paralympic Association; Gerry Stacey, a former Coca-Cola Enterprises executive and now a leading business and leadership advisor; Scott Bowers, Group Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications at The Jockey Club and one of the sports industry’s leading communications professionals; Damian Phillips, Partner at law firm Darwin Gray LLP and one of the UK’s leading lawyers in the employment and sports sectors; and Adam Williams, who is International Director at the UK Intellectual Property Office and previously worked in the UK Government on Defence policy matters, with extensive experience dealing with complex negotiations.
The Non-Executive’s role is to help the WRPA to deliver its mission of acting as a force for good for rugby players and the game in Wales.