Frazer-Nash, the engineering consultancy, has announced it is to support the Rugby Football Union (RFU) as part of its work with sports performance specialists PGIR Limited.

PGIR, led by former England and Bath forward John Hall, is contracted to provide the RFU with performance analysis services up to 2012. The new agreement will see Frazer-Nash developing bespoke software tools with PGIR to enable in-match rugby performance data to be analysed in new ways – for the benefit of England’s coaching staff and players.

Simon Rees, Business Manager at Frazer-Nash and an accredited Level 2 rugby coach in Bristol, commented: “The decision by the RFU to recruit Frazer-Nash in providing performance management expertise underlines our strong credentials in the English sporting scene. We look forward to working closely with both PGIR and the RFU to ensure that the England rugby team have the data and analysis tools they need to stay several steps ahead of the competition.”

John Hall, Director of PGIR said: “PGIR’s role at the RFU is to provide England coaching teams with relevant on-line data to enable evidence-based, inter-disciplinary decision making. Frazer-Nash’s expertise will help accelerate that process under the real-time pressure of test matches, where centimetres and seconds add up to make points on the scoreboard.”

The announcement follows Frazer-Nash’s successful work as an Innovation Partner to UK Sport, as part of which the consultancy has devised engineering solutions for the benefit of the UK’s best athletes and coaches. Since February 2008, Frazer-Nash has been involved in the development of the ‘Ergometer’ cycling machine and ‘Powerwheel’ instrument for wheelchair athletes.