Rugby Players Ireland

The Rugby Players Ireland is the representative body for professional rugby players in Ireland. Founded in October 2001, its aims are to promote and protect the welfare of professional rugby players in Ireland.[1][2] The Chief Executive Officer is Simon Keogh and Rob Kearney is its current chairman.[3] Its headquarters are in Clonskeagh in Dublin.

Rugby Players Ireland

Rugby Players Ireland logo
Full name	Rugby Players Ireland
Founded	2001
Key people	Rob Kearney (Chairman)
Office location	Clonskeagh, Dublin
Country	Ireland
Website	www.rugbyplayersireland.ie

Objectives

The associations objectives are:-

• To promote and protect the welfare of its members, both during and after their careers.
• To cater for the educational and welfare needs of its members, to ensure that they have sufficient preparation for the life after rugby.
• To work in partnership with the IRFU to further the cause of Rugby Union in Ireland.
• To be the representative mouthpiece for professional rugby players on issues of importance to the game.[4]

Services

Rugby Players Ireland provides a Player Development Manager (PDM). The five pillars of Rugby Players Ireland's Player Development Programme are 1) Education, Training & Skills, 2) Social Engagement, 3) Financial Management & Planning, 4) Player Wellbeing and 5) Career Advice & Guidance. Each PDM works closely with the players on an individual level to prepare them for the transition to life after professional rugby.[2]

The association also acts as a negotiator between players and their employer. They are involved with negotiating group contracts in areas such as match and win bonuses and act as a go-between in the event of disputes. In 2018, the remit of Rugby Players Ireland was extended to include the Irish 7s programme in addition to international women's players.[5] This includes bringing industrial action if necessary.[6]

History

In October 2001 Ireland's professional rugby players set up the Irish Rugby Union Players' Association. Over 95% of all players with a contract with the IRFU joined the new body. Liam Toland and Peter McKenna were appointed Chairman and Secretary.[4]

In 2003, the members of the association realised the need for a full-time employee and former Ireland International Niall Woods was appointed the first full-time Chief Executive Officer.[4]

On 12 April 2017, the organization changed its name from the Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA) to Rugby Players Ireland.[7]

Awards

2008 and 2010 IRUPA Players player of the year; Tommy Bowe

Rugby Players Ireland has run the annual Rugby Players Ireland Awards dinner from 2002 which gives recognition to rugby players in a number of categories. The awards dinner is run to support the Rugby Players Ireland Foundation.[8] The most prestigious award is the Players' Player of the Year award which is voted for by playing members of Rugby Players Ireland.

Players' Player of the Year winners

Year	Player	Team
2003	Malcolm O'Kelly	Leinster[9]
2004	Gordon D'Arcy	Leinster[10]
2005	Johnny O'Connor	London Wasps[11]
2006	Paul O'Connell	Munster[12]
2007	Gordon D'Arcy	Leinster[13]
2008	Tommy Bowe	Ospreys[14]
2009	Brian O'Driscoll	Leinster[15]
2010	Tommy Bowe ^*	Ospreys[14]
2011	Isa Nacewa	Leinster[16]
2012	Rob Kearney	Leinster[17]
2013	Nick Williams	Ulster[17]
2014	Andrew Trimble	Ulster[17]
2015	Paul O'Connell	Munster[18]
2016	CJ Stander	Munster[19]
2017	Conor Murray	Munster[20]
2018	Keith Earls	Munster[21]
2019	James Ryan	Leinster[22]

* Tommy Bowe was also awarded the 2010 WRPA Players' Player of the Year Award.[23]

Other awards

Other awards include the Young Player of the Year award, Try of the Year and the Unsung Hero as well as the Hall of Fame.

List of Hall of Fame inductees

The Rugby Players Ireland Hall of Fame includes the following members:[24]

Year	Inductee(s)
2003	Mick Galwey, Peter Clohessy
2004	Keith Wood, Paddy Johns
2005	Eric Elwood
2006	Jeremy Davidson
2007	Victor Costello
2008	David Humphreys
2009	Anthony Foley
2010	Girvan Dempsey
2011	Malcolm O'Kelly
2012	John Hayes
2013	Denis Hickie
2014	Simon Best
2015	David Wallace
2016	Ronan O'Gara
2017	Geordan Murphy
2018	Brian O'Driscoll
2019	Conor O'Shea

Rugby Players Ireland Foundation

Rugby Players Ireland administers the injured players fund which provides support to players who are forced to retire from rugby due to illness or injury. The fund is reliant on individual and corporate donations.[25] The Rugby Players Ireland annual awards dinner is also a major part of its fundraising activity.[26] Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Rugby Players Ireland made a donation of €20,000 from the injured players fund to assist with relief efforts through aid agency Concern.[3]

See also

• Rugby Players' Association (England)
• Rugby Union Players' Association (Australia)
• Welsh Rugby Players Association

References

1. "IRUPA HOME PAGE". IRUPA. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
2. "Preparing for the life less ordinary". Irish Independent. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
3. "IRUPA Members Donate €20,000 to Concern Earthquake Appeal". Emerald Rugby. 15 January 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
4. "ABOUT US". IRUPA. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
5. "IRFU meeting IRUPA over pay dispute". RTÉ. 19 November 2004. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
6. "IRFU 'disrespectful', claim players". breakingnews.ie. 25 May 2004. Retrieved 6 June 2010. Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
7. "IRUPA to become 'Rugby Players Ireland'". Irish Rugby Football Union. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
8. "The Irish Rugby Union Players' Association has announced the nominations for Player of the Year for 2010". sportsnewsireland.com. 27 April 2010. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
9. "IRUPA Mira Rugby Players Awards 2003". IRUPA. 19 May 2003. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
10. "IRUPA Awards". irishrugby.ie. 20 May 2004. Archived from the original on 21 November 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
11. "O'Connor wins Irish players gong". BBC. 5 May 2005. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
12. "BT IRUPA Rugby Players Awards 2006". IRUPA. 15 May 2006. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
13. "D'Arcy picks up second Players' Player gong". RTÉ. 25 April 2007. Archived from the original on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
14. "Bowe Voted Irish Players' Player of the Year". irishrugby.ie. 12 May 2010. Archived from the original on 16 May 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
15. "O'Driscoll Chosen As IRUPA Players' Player of the Year". irishrugby.ie. 6 May 2009. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
16. "Nacewa scoops IRUPA award". 4 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
17. Sara Jane English (3 May 2015). "12 Years of IRUPA Awards – Stats & Facts". Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
18. "O'Connell Is IRUPA Players' Player of the Year". Munster Rugby. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
19. "Stander Voted IRUPA Players' Player of the Year". Munster Rugby. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
20. "Murray Voted Rugby Players Ireland Player of the Year". Munster Rugby. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
21. "Earls Voted Players' Player of the Year at Irish Rugby Awards". Munster Rugby. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
22. "James Ryan Scoops Double at Zurich Irish Rugby Players Awards". Irish Rugby. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
23. "Bowe scoops Welsh honour". Scrum.com. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
24. "Hall of Fame". IRUPA. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
25. "Injured players fund". IRUPA. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
26. "IRUPA Award Nominees Announced". irishrugby.ie. 9 April 2009. Archived from the original on 13 April 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2010. Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

External links

• Official website