RUPA Board

RUPA Mission and Objectives

RUPA Staff

Former RUPA President, Wallaby No. 770 Justin Harrison, was appointed Chief Executive Officer in August 2019.  Harrison, who served as RUPA President from 2004-2005, joined RUPA from the Classic Wallabies, where he has served as the organisation’s General Manager.  Harrison played 34 Tests for the Wallabies after debuting against the British & Irish Lions in Sydney (2001), as well as making 98 Super Rugby appearances for the Brumbies and NSW Waratahs, winning a Super Rugby title in 2001. He took his career abroad in 2005, representing Ulster (Nth Ireland) and Bath (England), and retired after a playing stint back in Canberra in 2010 which preceded his appointment as Brumbies Forwards Coach in 2011.  Justin continued to gain international Rugby experience when he moved to France, serving as Head Coach of Racing Club Narbonne Méditerranée for nearly six years. From a commercial perspective, he was employed with AFEX, a global payment solutions company headquartered in London. Justin completed a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sports Administration at the University of Canberra in 2001. Justin's first rugby club was the Gold Rats in Lismore.

Justin Harrison Board HS

Justin Harrison

Alex Grygiel was appointed General Manager, Player Services & Operations in August 2022. Alex is responsible for all player-facing RUPA services; including individual advocacy, membership, image rights, agent accreditation and players career-ending insurance. Prior to joining RUPA, Alex worked in finance & management roles across the construction and media industries. Alex was a St Ives Rugby Club junior, representing Gordon and played for NSW CAS 2ndXV. He has completed a Bachelor of Business, Diploma in Business Management and is a Certified Practising Accountant through CPA Australia.

Alex Grygiel

James Holbeck, Wallaby No. 737, was appointed as RUPA's Player Development Program Project Manager in November 2019.  Holbeck oversees the roles of RUPA’s five Player Development Managers (PDMs). Having previously worked as a PDM for RUPA, Holbeck is tasked with continuing to develop strong relationships between PDMs and the high-performance departments of their Clubs, as well as shaping the direction of the PDP’s key pillars; Career and Education, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Cultural Awareness, Financial Management, Integrity and Obligations, and Toolkit of life.  He brings over 20 years of professional Rugby experience, on and off the field, to the position and has previously used his academic honours in psychology to promote wellbeing in numerous environments.

James Holbeck

Moana Leilua is the former Player Development Manager at the Melbourne Rebels, a position she held since January 2020. In October 2024, Moana was appointed the National Cultural Leadership Manager & Wallabies Player Development Manager. Moana hails from Hamilton, New Zealand, but has built her career in Auckland. She has people and sports management experience having completed four seasons with the Counties Manukau Steelers for the Mitre 10 Cup in a team manager capacity. Moana has also served in the tertiary education sector working primarily with Pacific students and their families in the Counties Manukau region.  Moana has completed a Bachelor of Science with the University of Auckland, and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Waikato in 2018. Moana has represented Sāmoa in WRWC 2006, also Auckland, Counties Manukau and NZ Sāmoa in Rugby.

Moana Leilua

Ananya Bhindi was appointed Commercial and Communications Manager in August 2022 following an internship. Ananya is responsible for the organisation of all RUPA related events, commercial partnership agreements, public relations and player content development. Ananya holds a Business Degree majoring in Sports Management and prior to joining RUPA, worked in project and facilities management. Outside of RUPA, Ananya is the Junior Rowing Head Coach at his old school, St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill, where he rowed in the 1st VIII as Captain of Rowing, and later competing in the 2018 Nationals Regatta. Ananya’s first rugby club was Lane Cove Junior Rugby Union Club.

Ananya

Ananya Bhindi

Robin Duff is the Player Development Manager at the Brumbies, a position she has held since 2015. Prior to joining RUPA she worked in similar capacities for both the Australian Institute of Sport and the ACT Academy of Sport. Robin represented Australia in softball, was selected in the Australian hockey squad and is a member of the ACT Sport Hall of Fame. Robin has completed an honours degree in psychology, a Graduate Diploma in Community Counselling, a Graduate Certificate in Athlete Career and Education Management and has Certificate IVs in Training and Assessment, Telephone Counselling and Youth Work. She is a Lifeline Telephone Counsellor, a Mental Health First Aid instructor and a trainer/assessor of the Certificate IV in Youth Work.

Robin Duff

Charlotte Anneveld is the Player Development Manager at the NSW Waratahs, a position she has held since April 2021.  Prior to joining RUPA, Charlotte oversaw the Elite Athlete Program at Macquarie University. She has also served time working in commercial, community and events at Cricket ACT, Cricket NSW and the Canberra Raiders.   Charlotte is a former professional cricketer who represented NSW, ACT, Sydney Thunder, Australia A and various other teams around the world. She is very proud of being a one club player of 23 years for Gordon, Sydney. Charlotte was recently named in Cricket NSW's Women's Premier Cricket Team of the Decade.   She holds a Bachelor of Physical Education (Secondary) from the Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE).

Charlotte Anneveld

David King is the National Player Development Manager for the Women's XV. With a mission to support and enhance player development across the Super Rugby Women’s game, David brings a wealth of experience and a passion for empowering athletes both on and off the field. David holds a Bachelor of Applied Science/Secondary Education, as well as a Masters of Performance Psychology and Leadership Development. Prior to joining the RUPA team, David worked in many leadership positions across colleges and schools including Deputy Principal at St Edmund’s College Canberra and Director of Administration at Newington College. Additionally, David has also worked as a Mental Performance Coach at the NSW Waratahs, ACT Brumbies, Athletes Authority, and Wallaroos.

David King 

Caitlin Bassett is the Player Development Manager at the Western Force and has extensive experience in high performance sport as a former professional netballer. Born in WA Caitlin has a Bachelor of Communications (Broadcast and Journalism) and has worked in the media as a sports commentator and journalist before joining RUPA. With a career spanning 17-years at the elite level Bassett is one of only five Australian players to reach 100 test caps and captained the Australian Diamonds from 2017-2021. Driven to help others navigate the challenges of sport when she retired Caitlin transitioned into a PDM role working with the female program at Cricket NSW and continued to upskill with a Graduate Certificate in Counselling. 

Caitlin Bassett RUPA

Caitlin Bassett

Ella Squires is the Player Development Manager at the Queensland Reds, where she leads initiatives to support the holistic development of elite rugby athletes. With a background in athlete support and innovation through her previous role at QUT Sport, Ella brings a forward-thinking approach to player wellbeing, career transition, and personal growth. She is a strong advocate for making informed decisions grounded in research within the athlete wellbeing space, ensuring that programs and support systems are evidence-based and impactful. Ella is passionate about creating environments where athletes can thrive both on and off the field.

Ella Squires RUPA

Ella Squires

Ash Fong is the Player Development Manager for the Aussie 7s teams, a position she has held since January 2026. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) and a Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary), teaching Science at St Ives HS for 7 years. Ash is also accredited through Growth Coaching International, helping her promote athlete agency and empowerment. Ash’s passion for inclusion in sport, has led her to embed community engagement opportunities and education sessions within elite and high-performance frameworks, promoting safe and inclusive environments. She played netball for North Shore United for 8 years, with a brief break to play Rugby 7s at Gordon Rugby. With her deep understanding of the netball environment, Ash worked with the NSW Swifts as their Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Lead from 2022-2024.