The Melbourne Rebels have signed Cricket World Cup winning high performance coach Damian Mednis as the club’s new Head of Performance.
Mednis returns to Rugby with the Melbourne Rebels after a decade in Cricket as a Strength and Conditioning coach with the Queensland Bulls, Brisbane Heat and Australian Cricket Team.
“We’re thrilled to welcome a world leading performance expert with Damian’s calibre to the Melbourne Rebels to lead our performance department,” Melbourne Rebels General Manager Rugby Baden Stephenson said.
“Damian brings vast experience in high performance with a record of domestic and international success, along with outstanding people and communication skills.”
Beginning his career in Rugby with the QRU as Performance Coordinator with the Reds and Reds Rugby College in 1996, Mednis then move to Ireland in 2005, as part of the Irish Rugby Union,
Mednis was the Performance Coordinator at Munster Rugby for three season, before returning to Queensland in Cricket as Head of Strength and Conditioning for the Bulls and Heat, spending the last three years as Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Australian Cricket Team, which included a 2015 Cricket World Cup, Ashes Series, on top of a Big Bash, Sheffield Shield and One Day Cup titles.
Mednis' achievements have not been limited to just cricket, having also formed part of the European Cup Championship with Munster in 2006.
“It’s good to be back in Rugby, while I really enjoyed my time with Cricket, it’s fantastic to have that anticipation being back in a contact sport and something that I’ve missed for the last 10 years,” Mednis said.
“There’s a lot of upside to the Melbourne Rebels which attracted me to role, led by owner Andrew Cox and quality senior Rugby staff, I see a happy and well constructed organisation with a strong playing list.
Mednis begins his role as the Melbourne Rebels Head of Performance in November after the departure of Bryce Cavanagh, who accepted a role overseas.
