Current and professional players enjoyed the company of over 250 people at the 2019 BDO Rugby Players Lunch, as Brumbies and Wallabies tighthead prop Allan Alaalatoa capped his 2019 season by winning the RUPA Medal for Excellence at The Ivy in Sydney.
Alaalatoa said that winning the Medal For Excellence was a "True honour, especially knowing that the boys across all of the Super Rugby franchises voted for me."
Alaalatoa acknowledged that his balance on and off the field helped him perform at such a high level in 2019.
"I'm studying Criminology and have almost finished my degree, and if it wasn't for the help of my RUPA Player Development Manager Robin Duff I wouldn't be there. I'm so grateful for her, and all of the help that RUPA does to help us with out study and everything we do on and off the field."
The Medal For Excellence, which is voted on by all Super Rugby players within Australia, captures all on-field performances of 2019 as well as excellence outside of it. It aims to acknowledge the importance of balance within players’ Rugby journeys, and to shine a light on the positive influence giving back to the game can have on players’ performances.
25-year-old Alaalatoa played 16 matches for the Brumbies this year, as they won the Australian conference before bowing out of Super Rugby at the semi-final stage, as well as starting six Test matches for the Wallabies, including four at his first Rugby World Cup.
Allan, who becomes just the second prop to win the award in its’ eighteen year history after teammate James Slipper (2014), was also a finalist in the Academic Achievement Award, and continues to play an active role in the Canberra community as well as giving back to the Club game through his long-term involvement with his junior Club, West Harbour, in Western Sydney.
Toutai Kefu and Joe Roff entertained the crowd as part of a Moments In Time panel, chaired by Morgan Turinui, as RUPA’s commercial partners and representatives from the Club Rugby community joined the players to celebrate the game, while RUPA Chief Executive Justin Harrison was on hand to formally induct a further eight players into the RUPA Centurions Club – Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Mark Gerrard, Mitch Inman, Stephen Moore, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio and Henry Speight.
Click here to see the full list of RUPA Centurions Club members.
Alaalatoa’s was one of eight awards presented on the day, with his Brumbies teammate Lachlan McCaffrey (Community Service Award) also honoured alongside Queensland Reds duo Angus Scott-Young (Academic Achievement Award) and Isaac Lucas (Newcomer of the Year).
Grace Hamilton capped an excellent season by becoming the first ever Wallaroos player to win the Taylors Wines People’s Choice Australian Player of the Year, while Melbourne Rebels recruit Andrew Deegan was acknowledged for his wonderful NRC campaign as pivot with the premiership-winning Western Force, winning the NRC Players’ Player of the Year.
Finally, Ellia Green and Maurice Longbottom each won their first ever Australian Rugby Sevens Players’ Player of the Year award, recognising excellence in 2018-19 as both their sides qualified for next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Award winners, 2019 BDO Rugby Players Lunch
RUPA Medal For Excellence: Allan Alaalatoa (Brumbies)
Newcomer of the Year: Isaac Lucas (Queensland Reds)
Community Service Award: Lachlan McCaffrey (Brumbies)
Academic Achievement Award: Angus Scott-Young (Queensland Reds)
Taylors Wines’ People’s Choice Australian Player of the Year: Grace Hamilton (Buildcorp Wallaroos)
NRC Players’ Player of the Year Award: Andrew Deegan (Western Force/Melbourne Rebels)
Australian Men’s Rugby Sevens Players’ Player of the Year: Maurice Longbottom
Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens Players’ Player of the Year: Ellia Green
Click here to see a list of all previous Award winners.
