Rugby Players' Association

RPA

Rugby Players' Association
Formation	1998;27 years ago (1998)
Location	England
Membership	590 (2024) [1]
General Secretary	Christian Day
Website	therpa.co.uk

The Rugby Players' Association (RPA) is a trade union representing elite rugby rugby union players in England. The RPA is the representative body and collective voice of elite rugby players in England and represents more than 600 male and female current rugby players, as well as more than 100 former players. ^[2]

Overview

RPA members qualify for a wide range of benefits, including: independent representation; legal advice; personal and professional development; playing insurance; education; confidential counselling; transition support; and more. Members can also access the support of a charity, Restart, in the event of serious illness, injury or hardship. ^[3]

The RPA was founded by professional player Damian Hopley, who was forced to early retirement after an injury. ^[4]

In August 2022, the RPA announced that Hopley was to leave the organisation after 24 years in charge of the company. ^[5]

On 16 January 2023, it was announced that Christian Day, was elected the new General Secretary of the RPA, following an election to the membership. ^[6]

RPA Men's Rugby Board

The following rugby union professionals playing in England make up the current RPA Men's Rugby Board, as of the 2025-26 season. ^[7]

Role	Player	Team
Chair	Max Lahiff	Bristol Bears (men)
Vice-chair	Ivan van Zyl	Saracens (men)
Board Member
	Brett Connon	Newcastle Red Bulls (men)
	Will Evans	Harlequins (men)
	Emmanuel Iyogun	Northampton Saints (men)
	Ben Spencer	Bath Rugby (men)
	Simon McIntyre	Sale Sharks (men)
	Richard Capstick	Exeter Chiefs (men)
	Lewis Ludlow	Gloucester Rugby (men)
	Joe Heyes	Leicester Tigers (men)

RPA Women's Rugby Board

In June 2025, the RPA members voted in favour of a proposal to establish a Women's Rugby Board. ^[8]

According to the RPA, it 'marks a significant step forward in the RPA’s ongoing commitment to provide representation and wellbeing support for every elite player across the game. The creation of both Boards will ensure tailored, player-led representation for men’s and women’s rugby, allowing each to address the unique challenges and opportunities within their respective environments'

The new board is set to be voted in early 2026.

Awards

The following have been recognised at the annual RPA Awards, as voted on by professional rugby union players in England, since 2010: ^[9]

Players' Player of the Year Year Player Team Ref 2010 Schalk Brits Saracens [10] 2011 Thomas Waldrom Leicester [11] 2012 Nick Evans Harlequins [12] 2013 Christian Wade Wasps [13] 2014 Vereniki Goneva Leicester [14] 2015 Jonathan Joseph Bath [15] 2016 George Smith Wasps [16] 2017 Jimmy Gopperth Wasps [17] 2018 Telusa Veainu Leicester [18] 2019 Danny Cipriani Gloucester [19] 2020 Jack Willis Wasps [20] 2021 Sam Simmonds Exeter [21] 2022 André Esterhuizen Harlequins [22] 2023 Jasper Wiese Leicester [23] 2024 Fin Smith Northampton [24]

Young Player of the Year Year Player Team Ref 2010 Ben Youngs Leicester [10] 2011 Manu Tuilagi Leicester [11] 2012 Owen Farrell Saracens [12] 2013 Christian Wade Wasps [13] 2014 George Ford Bath [14] 2015 Henry Slade Exeter [15] 2016 Maro Itoje Saracens [16] 2017 Zach Mercer Bath [17] 2018 Marcus Smith Harlequins [18] 2019 Ollie Thorley Gloucester [19] 2020 Louis Rees-Zammit Gloucester [20] 2021 Marcus Smith Harlequins [21] 2022 Freddie Steward Leicester [22] 2023 Tom Pearson London Irish [23] 2024 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso Exeter [24]

England 15s Player of the Year Year Men Women Ref 2013 Joe Launchbury Emily Scarratt [13] 2014 Mike Brown Rachael Burford [14] 2015 Jonathan Joseph Rocky Clark [15] 2016 Billy Vunipola Sarah Hunter [16] 2017 Owen Farrell Tamara Taylor [17] 2018 Mako Vunipola Danielle Waterman [18] 2019 Jonny May Sarah Bern [19] 2020 Tom Curry Zoe Aldcroft [20] 2021 Tom Curry (2) Poppy Cleall [21] 2022 Freddie Steward Marlie Packer [22] 2023 Freddie Steward (2) Sadia Kabeya [23] 2024 Ben Earl Alex Matthews [24]

England 7s Player of the Year Year Men Women Ref 2012 Mathew Turner Not awarded [12] 2013 Dan Norton [13] 2014 Tom Mitchell [14] 2015 Alex Gray [15] 2016 Dan Bibby [16] 2017 Richard de Carpentier [17] 2018 Ruaridh McConnochie Alex Matthews [18] 2019 Will Muir Alex Matthews (2) [19] 2020 Ben Harris Megan Jones [20]

Special Merit Award (2010–15) Year Player Team Ref 2010 Simon Shaw Wasps [10] 2011 Danny Grewcock Bath [11] 2012 Hugh Vyvyan Saracens [12] 2013 Geordan Murphy Leicester [13] 2014 Steve Borthwick Saracens [14] 2015 Mark Cueto Sale [15]

Special Merit Award (2016–21) Year Player Team Ref 2016 Charlie Hodgson Saracens [16] 2017 Nick Easter Harlequins [17] 2018 Ian Robertson Not applicable [18] 2019 Mathew Tait [19] 2020 Richard Wigglesworth Saracens [20] 2021 Ben Youngs Leicester [21]

Special Merit Award (2022–) Year Player Team Ref 2022 Danny Care Harlequins [22] 2023 Dan Cole Leicester [23] Owen Farrell Saracens Emily Scarratt Loughborough (W) 2024 Marlie Packer Saracens (W) [24] Alex Waller Northampton

15 Under 23

The following teams represent the 15 Under 23, consisting of the top players in England aged 23 and under, as selected by voters, each year since 2022: ^[25]

	2021–22		2022–23		2023–24		2024–25
No.	Player	Team	Player	Team	Player	Team	Player	Team
1.	Bevan Rodd	Sale	Bevan Rodd	Sale	Fin Baxter	Harlequins	Asher Opoku-Fordjour	Sale
2.	Nic Dolly	Leicester	Theo Dan	Saracens	Theo Dan	Saracens	Theo Dan	Saracens
3.	Joe Heyes	Leicester	Joe Heyes	Leicester	Asher Opoku-Fordjour	Sale	Afolabi Fasogbon	Gloucester
4.	Nick Isiekwe	Saracens	George Martin	Leicester	Dafydd Jenkins	Exeter	Freddie Thomas	Gloucester
5.	Ollie Chessum	Leicester	Hugh Tizard	Saracens	Ollie Chessum	Leicester	Arthur Clark	Gloucester
6.	Ben Earl	Saracens	Ted Hill	Bath	Chandler Cunningham-South	Harlequins	Guy Pepper	Bath
7.	Tom Pearson	London Irish	Tom Pearson	London Irish	Guy Pepper	Newcastle	Henry Pollock	Northampton
8.	Fitz Harding	Bristol	Fitz Harding	Bristol	Ross Vintcent	Exeter	Greg Fisilau	Exeter
9.	Harry Randall	Bristol	Gus Warr	Sale	Jack van Poortvliet	Leicester	Jack van Poortvliet	Leicester
10.	Marcus Smith	Harlequins	Fin Smith	Northampton	Fin Smith	Northampton	Fin Smith	Northampton
11.	Ollie Hassell-Collins	London Irish	Cadan Murley	Harlequins	Immanuel Feyi-Waboso	Exeter	Paul Brown-Bampoe	Exeter
12.	Dan Kelly	Leicester	Seb Atkinson	Gloucester	Max Ojomoh	Bath	Seb Atkinson	Gloucester
13.	Fraser Dingwall	Northampton	Ollie Lawrence	Bath	Oscar Beard	Harlequins	Oscar Beard	Harlequins
14.	Louis Rees-Zammit	Gloucester	Mateo Carreras	Newcastle	Tommy Freeman	Northampton	Immanuel Feyi-Waboso	Exeter
15.	Freddie Steward	Leicester	Joe Carpenter	Sale	Josh Hodge	Exeter	Ciaran Donoghue	Bath

Since the 2023/24 season, the RPA have also voted for a Women's 15 Under 23 Team of the Season, from players from Premiership Women's Rugby.

	2023-24		2024–25
No.	Player	Team	Player	Team
1.	Abby Middlebrooke	Exeter Chiefs	Kelsey Clifford	Saracens
2.	Niamh Swailes	Sale	Lucy Calladine	Loughborough
3.	Kelsey Clifford	Saracens	Maud Muir	Gloucester–Hartpury
4.	Delaney Burns	Bristol Bears	Lilli Ives Campion	Leicester
5.	Lilli Ives Campion	Loughborough	Eva Donaldson	Leicester
6.	Maisy Allen	Exeter Chiefs	Georgia Brock	Gloucester–Hartpury
7.	Sadia Kabeya	Loughborough	Maisy Allen	Exeter Chiefs
8.	Evie Gallagher	Bristol Bears	Maddie Feaunati	Exeter Chiefs
9.	Tori Sellors	Saracens	Flo Robinson	Exeter Chiefs
10.	Lleucu George	Gloucester–Hartpury	Lizzie Duffy	Sale
11.	Reneeqa Bonner	Bristol Bears	Mia Venner	Gloucester–Hartpury
12.	Carmella Morrall	Loughborough	Clàudia Peña	Harlequins
13.	Sophie Bridger	Saracens	Emma Orr	Bristol Bears
14.	Katie Shillaker	Harlequins	Millie David	Bristol Bears
15.	Ellie Kildunne	Harlequins	Emma Sing	Gloucester–Hartpury

Hall of Fame

The following players, coaches, officials, administrators and commentators have been inducted into the RPA Hall of Fame: ^[26]

Year Inductee 1999 Michael Lynagh 2000 Cliff Morgan Peter Winterbottom 2001 Willie John McBride Philippe Sella 2002 Dean Richards John Rutherford 2003 Gerald Davies Tim Horan Peter Wheeler

Year Inductee 2004 Zinzan Brooke Gavin Hastings 2005 Sir Gareth Edwards Sean Fitzpatrick 2006 David Duckham Mike Gibson Sir Ian McGeechan 2007 Martin Johnson 2008 Richard Hill Jason Leonard

Year Inductee 2009 Fran Cotton Jeremy Guscott 2010 Bill McLaren 2011 Lawrence Dallaglio 2012 Jason Robinson 2013 Ieuan Evans 2014 Jonathan Davies 2015 Jonny Wilkinson 2016 Brian O'Driscoll 2017 Dan Carter

Year Inductee 2018 Sir Clive Woodward 2020 Sir Bill Beaumont 2021 Rocky Clark Alun Wyn Jones 2022 Katy Daley-McLean 2023 Sarah Hunter Doddie Weir 2024 Courtney Lawes

See also

• Rugby Union Players Association, Australian national association for players' interests formed in October 1995
• Rugby Players Ireland, Irish national association for players' interests formed in October 2001
• Welsh Rugby Players Association, Welsh national association for players' interests formed in 2003

References

1. "RPA AR21 Form for the year ending 31 December 2023" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
2. "The RPA". therpa.co.uk. The RPA. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
3. "About Us". The RPA. The RPA. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
4. Hopley continues as players' boss BBC 2006-10-30 Retrieved on 2009-02-13.
5. "RPA Column - August". The RPA. The RPA.
6. "Christian Day Elected General Secretary of the RPA". The RPA.
7. "Max Lahiff and Ivan van Zyl Elected RPA Men's Rugby Board Chair and Vice Chair for 2025/26". The RPA. The RPA. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
8. "RPA Members Approve Establishment of Men's and Women's Rugby Boards". The RPA. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
9. "The RPA Awards". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
10. "The RPA Awards 2010". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
11. "The RPA Awards 2011". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
12. "The RPA Awards 2012". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
13. "The RPA Awards 2013". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
14. "The RPA Awards 2014". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
15. "The RPA Awards 2015". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
16. "The RPA Awards 2016". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
17. "The RPA Awards 2017". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
18. "The RPA Awards 2018". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
19. "The RPA Awards 2019". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
20. "The RPA Awards 2020". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
21. "The RPA Awards 2021". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
22. "The RPA Awards 2022". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
23. "The RPA Awards 2023". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
24. "The RPA Awards 2024: Winners". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
25. "RPA 15 Under 23". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
26. "RPA Hall of Fame". therpa.co.uk. Rugby Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2023.