FOREST Green Rovers sports therapist Tim Grigg has left his role at The New Lawn – and joined the staff of reigning world champions New Zealand for this year’s Rugby World Cup.
It is an incredible switch for 31-year-old who will be working alongside renowned All Blacks head of strength and conditioning Nic Gill and his staff to keep the leading players of the most famous rugby nation on earth in tip-top condition as they defend the title they won four years ago.
There, instead of keeping Forest Green’s squad fit in the Vanarama National League over the coming months, Grigg will be looking after the after-match recoveries of global rugby superstars like Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and his own favourite, hooker Keven Mealamu.
And, having left Forest Green this week, the sports therapist, who has worked at Gloucester Rugby in the past, said it was like a dream come true.
Even though Grigg, who is setting up his own private medical practice, will not be paid for his role with the All Blacks, as it is voluntary, he is more than happy to be part of the team.
He explained how he landed the job, saying: “It came about because I had a meeting with a firm who supplied ice machines, of all things, and I started chatting to the bloke.
“He said that he also supplied medical teams for touring rugby sides who base themselves around Cardiff for the Autumn internationals, that he had landed some voluntary work for New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup and would I be interested.
“I said that would be brilliant and I would love the opportunity to be on board.”
He did not think anything would come of it but, when walking his dog, his phone rang and the guy on the other end said: “You’re in!”
Grigg now starts working with the All Blacks at the start of September for four matches and, depending on how New Zealand and he perform, the world champions could extend his stay  through the tournament.
“I have got to go and do a professional job with them but just to say on my cv that I was with the World Cup champions will be something else. Hopefully, they don’t get England in the final!
“For me, the only way to get better than this is to work with the British Lions.”
Grigg had been part of the first team backroom staff at Forest Green since June 2010, having joined from Cirencester Town.
He worked under the management of both David Hockaday and current boss Ady Pennock at the New Lawn and replaced Ian Rodgerson as the club’s sports therapist, having previously worked under Rodgerson in an assistant role.
Grigg went onto become a popular member of the off-field staff, working as a matchday physiotherapist and with players on their injury rehabilitation.
He just wants a shirt to hang in his new business and any other momento but Grigg is relishing the chance to work on the biggest names in the world game.
He added: “When I was at Gloucester, Olly Barkley was there and was in and out of the England team at the time. One of the first days I was there, he was at the bottom of my list of players to work on. So I don't know how I would feel if I saw Dan Carter, who, out of the thousands and thousands of fly-halves in the world, is the best there is, on the bottom of my list. That would be the icing on the cake."