Rugby Players Ireland

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Rugby Players Ireland
Rugby Players Ireland logo
Rugby Players Ireland logo
Full name Rugby Players Ireland
Founded 2001
Website www.rugbyplayersireland.ie

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.

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 Ulster[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]
2020 Garry Ringrose Leinster[23]
2021 Robbie Henshaw Leinster[24]
2022 Josh van der Flier Leinster[25]
2023 Caelan Doris Leinster[26]

* Tommy Bowe was also awarded the 2010 WRPA Players' Player of the Year Award.[27]

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:[28]

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
2020 Gordon D'Arcy
2021 Not Awarded
2022 Tommy Bowe & Fiona Coghlan
2023 Shane Horgan & Alison Miller

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.[29] The Rugby Players Ireland annual awards dinner is also a major part of its fundraising activity.[30] 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

References

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  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ "Ringrose And Moloney Win Player Of The Year Awards", Irish Rugby, 17 October 2020
  24. ↑ "Henshaw And Wall Win Irish Players’ Player Of The Year Awards", Irish Rugby, 3 December 2021
  25. ↑ "Josh van der Flier and Sam Monaghan voted Players of the Year by Irish-rugby peers", The 42, 18 May 2022
  26. ↑ [1]
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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