Great Britain Tag Rugby builds out performance department
A quartet of experienced performance staff have joined Great Britain Tag Rugby to help the players perform on the world stage.
Grace Brown and Nick Garcia, are both experienced Tag Rugby players join GBTR as strength and conditioning coaches, while Michael Delbridge is a sports rehab specialist and athletic development coach, and Richard Dean is psychology practitioner.
Programme Director Gregg Cropper said this about their appointments: “We’re really pleased to bring Grace, Nick, Michael and Richard into the programme. All four bring strong experience from elite sport, but also a real understanding of the physical demands of Tag Rugby.
“As the international game continues to evolve, supporting our athletes with high-quality strength and conditioning and rehabilitation is essential. Their work will help our players stay fit, prepare properly for competition, and perform at their best on the world stage.
“We’re also looking to launch a GB-wide strength and conditioning programme via an app, which will give players access to phased training across the season and ensure everyone in the programme can follow a consistent, high-quality approach to preparation.”
Grace Brown - strength and conditioning coach
Grace is one of the most capped female Great Britain Tag Rugby players and a sports performance coach specialising in strength and conditioning for field-sport athletes.
She has represented Great Britain for over a decade, competing in multiple World Cups and British & Irish Cups, and has also competed nationally in athletics and represented England in Table Tennis.
Alongside her playing career, Grace works as a sports performance coach helping athletes become fitter, faster and stronger while reducing their risk of injury. Her coaching focuses on strength development, speed, and injury resilience to help athletes perform at their best. She brings a deep understanding of the physical demands of Tag Rugby and what it takes to perform at the highest level.
Michael Delbridge - sports rehab specialist
Michael is a sports rehab specialist and athletic development coach with over 15 years of experience in elite sport and rehabilitation environments.
His work has included supporting international South African cricketers and top-tier club rugby athletes, as well as a range of other different sporting code athletes.
His focus is on building stronger, faster, and more resilient athletes through intelligent training, injury prevention, and performance-driven conditioning.
Nick Garcia - strength and conditioning coach
Nick is a versatile, results-driven strength and conditioning coach with a proven track record across both elite sports performance and everyday lifestyle transformations.
His coaching record spans the highest levels of sport, having prepared athletes to compete in the NBA, NBL, Premier League, AFL, Super Rugby, and Division 1 Collegiate Sports in the USA - with methods trusted by world-record-holding athletes.
Alongside his elite sport work, Nick has built an impressive library of success stories helping everyday clients achieve significant weight loss, fitness, and lifestyle goals.
Richard Dean - psychology practitioner
Richard Dean is an elite sport psychology practitioner dedicated to helping high-performance athletes unlock their full potential. With extensive experience across top-tier sports - including footballers from the Premier League and EFL, NFL athletes, and World Championship boxers - he specialises in precision mental training, visualisation techniques, and high-pressure coaching.
His evidence-based approach focuses on building mental resilience, clarity, and then consistency, ensuring athletes perform at their peak when it matters most.
Rich has shared his expertise with major media outlets like the Talksport, BBC, and Sky. He operates under a strict ethical framework, prioritising athlete autonomy and absolute confidentiality.
