Sports and Exercise Science: Fully Funded PhD Studentship in SMART Rugby (Statistical Machine Analysis for Rugby Team Success) (RS811)

Funding providers: UKRI EPSRC CASE Conversion and Ospreys Rugby Limited 

Subject areas: STEM, Maths, Physics, Computer Science, Sports and Exercise Science  

Project start date: 1 July 2025 (Enrolment open from mid-June) 

Primary supervisors: 

• Dr Rowan Brown  m.r.brown@swansea.ac.uk
• Prof Liam Kilduff  l.kilduff@swansea.ac.uk

Additional supervisory team members: 

• Prof Neil Bezodis 
• Dr Mark Waldron 
• Dr Laura Mason 
• Dr Claire Barnes 
• Mr Simon Church (Industrial Supervisor) 

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Sports and Exercise Science 

Mode of study: Full-time – location will be a combination of Swansea University and Ospreys Rugby Limited 

Project description: 
This forward-looking PhD project merges performance science with advanced data analytics and machine learning to further enhance performance prediction in elite rugby union. The successful candidate will work with a comprehensive dataset spanning multiple seasons of elite competition, featuring team KPIs, individual player and ball GPS tracking data, and player wellness information. 

The project centres on developing predictive frameworks that accurately forecast match outcomes and league positioning through sophisticated data analysis. The candidate will implement machine learning techniques to identify latent patterns in the data, construct hierarchical models integrating individual and team metrics, and employ time-series analysis across seasons. These models will be enhanced with individual player metrics, we will investigate the use of scale-free frameworks such as, topological data analysis, to connect multi-level data streams to improve current models. 

This project offers significant opportunities to contribute to both theoretical understanding of sports analytics and practical applications for elite teams. The successful candidate will develop expertise in applying cutting-edge computational methods to complex, real-world problems while producing publications for high-impact journals. Ideal candidates will possess strong quantitative skills, programming experience, and an interest in applied machine learning in sports performance contexts. 

The successful candidate will also be embedded in a professional rugby environment and gain significant experience in hands on data collection, data analysis, data presentation and interpretation.  

Due to funding restrictions, this Scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only. As defined by UKCISA regulations

Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 (or above) in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Sciences or Sport Science.

It would be desirable for candidates to have experience in some or all of the following:  

• Experience in working in professional sports environments  
• Data visualization solutions (i.e. Power BI, Tableau, Google Data Studio) for producing reports 
• MATLAB/PYTHON/C programming 
• Application of Machine Learning Algorithms 

To apply, please complete your application online with the following information

1. Course choice

(Full Time) Sports and Exercise Science / PhD / Full-time / 3 Years / July 2025

In the event you have already applied for the above programme previously, the application system may issue a warning notice and prevent application, in this case, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk where staff will be happy to assist you in submitting your application.

     2. Start year – please select 2025

     3. Funding (page 8 on the application process) –

• ‘Are you funding your studies yourself?’ – please select No
• ‘Name of Individual or organisation providing funds for study’ – please enter ‘RS811 - SMART Rugby'

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.

NOTE: Applicants for PhD/EngD/ProfD/EdD - to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University you are required to complete an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form in addition to your programme application form.  

Please note that completion of the EDI Monitoring Form is mandatory; your application may not progress if this information is not submitted.

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email):

• CV
• Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)
• A cover letter including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project
• One reference (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference
• Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable)
• Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)
• Confirmation of EDI form submission

Informal enquiries are welcome; please contact:

• Dr Rowan Brown - m.r.brown@swansea.ac.uk
• Prof Liam Kilduff - l.kilduff@swansea.ac.uk

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.