Science for Sport Podcast 270: Dr. James Morehen on Fueling England Rugby Through the Six Nations
What’s it really like behind the scenes of an England Rugby Six Nations campaign? How do you fuel elite athletes to perform at their peak, and recover just as hard?
This week, host Richard Graves is joined by the brilliant Dr. James Morehen,lead performance nutritionist for England Rugby and founder of the Performance Nutrition Network. With a career that’s taken him from snowboarding in Canada to backstage of international test matches, James brings a fascinating, no-nonsense look at the art (and science) of elite-level nutrition.
If you’re a coach, athlete, nutritionist or just curious about what fuels champions, this episode is packed with practical insights, powerful stories, and a few grassroots tips that could change your game.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How to fuel for optimal performance and recovery during high-stakes tournaments like the Six Nations
- The importance of preparation, trust, and consistency in elite sports nutrition
- Why carbohydrates aren’t the enemy, and how they’re periodised to match training loads
- How halftime nutrition strategies can make or break a second-half performance
- The real-world challenges of fuelling players during international travel and changing environments
- Simple, effective advice for grassroots players and coaches to improve fuelling and recovery on a budget
- Why Jaffa Cakes and chocolate milk still have a place in post-match recovery
- What inspired James to go from aspiring S&C coach to becoming one of the top performance nutritionists in UK sport
- The importance of building trust with athletes and the subtle art of sideline communication
- James’ thoughts on balancing consistency with cultural curiosity when travelling with elite teams
Whether you're working at the elite level or coaching an U16s team on Sundays, this episode offers something for everyone. As James puts it, "We’re all failed athletes trying to help others be their best."
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