2015 John Eales Medallist Israel Folau is amongst the leading contenders for The Rugby Union Players’ Association (RUPA) Medal for Excellence, to be awarded at Wednesday’s Volvo-RUPA Awards Lunch.
This year, eight Awards will be presented, including two that specifically recognise player’s off-field efforts, five Players’ Player Awards, as peers’ recognition of on and off-field performance, and the Volvo People’s Choice Award.
The RUPA Medal for Excellence is the pinnacle of player awards in Australian Rugby with the ten finalists comprising of the winner and runner-up in each Super Rugby team’s Players’ Player Awards.
Australian Super Rugby players have over the last month voted for the RUPA Medal using a 3-2-1 points system for the individual, outside their own team, who they believe has shown the best performance, leadership, consistency and discipline, both on and off the field, across the international and domestic Rugby season.
The Buildcorp NRC Players’ Player, Men’s and Women’s Sevens Players’ Player and Newcomer of the Year are all chosen using a similar voting system and criteria to that of the Medal for Excellence.
The finalists for the two purely off-field Awards - Academic Achievement and Community Service - were confirmed from the several nominees put forward by RUPA’s Player Development Managers, acknowledging their dedication and achievements in areas outside of Rugby.
The winner of the Volvo People’s Choice Award will also be presented at the Awards lunch. Now in its third year, the Award allows Rugby supporters to vote for the player of the year they believe best demonstrates the spirit of Rugby in Australia.
Voting closed last Friday and this year, thanks to RUPA’s partner, Volvo, the lucky entrant received a money-can’t-buy VIP V8 Supercars experience at the Sydney 500.
In addition to Folau, Michael Hooper and Ben McCalman are Medal for Excellence finalists for the second straight year with 2014 RUPA Newcomer of the Year, Sean McMahon the youngest of the ten finalists.
There is also recognition for comeback kings, with evergreen prop Greg Holmes and returning Tongan International Steve Mafi in the running, as well as the inspirational Ita Vaea. Dynamic back rowers Liam Gill, Scott Higginbotham and David Pocock round out the candidates, with Pocock chasing his second Medal for Excellence having won in 2010.
In 2014, Reds and Wallabies prop James Slipper won the Award, joining an impressive group of players acknowledged by their peers for their on and off field performances, including George Gregan, Nathan Sharpe, David Pocock and Nick Cummins.
The finalists for all eight categories have been announced today, with less than a week until the 2015 Volvo-RUPA Awards Lunch on Wednesday December 9th. Held annually in December, the event is dedicated to recognising the on and off field achievements of Australian professionally contracted Rugby players.
RUPA Chief Executive Officer Ross Xenos said that the annual event was a great way to bring the 2015 Australian Rugby season to a close and celebrate the achievements, both on and off the field, of RUPA’s members.
“2015 has been a watershed year for Australian Rugby and for our players, and we’ve really seen the reinvigoration after the Wallabies’ achievements in both reaching the Rugby World Cup Final and winning The Rugby Championship,” Xenos said. “We’ve also enjoyed seeing both our Men and Women’s Rugby Sevens teams qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio and really pave the way for another exciting year in 2016.
“Off the field, our members continue to excel academically and in the community, and our Awards allows us to acknowledge these achievements equally alongside players’ Rugby successes.
“Australian Rugby has had 52 of approximately 170 professional players graduate from some form of further education in 2015, with many more still actively involved in further studies. These results are a testament to players dedication and professionalism, to our Player Development Program (PDP) and to the support provided by the game to players.”
The Volvo-RUPA Awards also doubles as the final component of the RUPA Induction Camp, held in Coogee from Monday 7th December – Wednesday 9th December.
Notes for Media
The winners of each Award will be revealed at the Volvo-RUPA Awards Lunch in Sydney next Wednesday 9 December 2015, and announced on RUPA’s social media accounts via @RUPAnews and using the hashtag #RUPAAwards.
The full list of Finalists
RUPA Medal for Excellence – Presented by Australian Reliance
Israel Folau (Waratahs)
Liam Gill (Reds)
Scott Higginbotham (Rebels)
Greg Holmes (Reds)
Michael Hooper (Waratahs)
Steve Mafi (Force)
Ben McCalman (Force)
Sean McMahon (Rebels)
David Pocock (Brumbies)
Ita Vaea (Brumbies)
Newcomer of the Year – Presented by Allianz Stadium
Rory Arnold (Brumbies)
Ryan Louwrens (Force)
Campbell Magnay (Reds)
Sefanaia Naivalu (Rebels)
Hugh Roach (Waratahs)
Academic Achievement Award – Presented by Kaplan Professional
Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
Ben Daley (Reds)
Greg Jeloudev (Australian Men’s Rugby Sevens)
Ian Prior (Force)
Junior Rasolea (Force)
Community Service Award – Presented by Hall Chadwick
Ben Daley (Reds)
Tim Metcher (Rebels)
Paddy Ryan (Waratahs)
Jordan Smiler (Brumbies)
Joe Tomane (Brumbies)
Men’s Sevens Players’ Player – Presented by AFEX
Cam Clark
Tom Cusack
Con Foley
Ed Jenkins
James Stannard
Women’s Sevens Players’ Player – Presented by NAB Private Wealth
Charlotte Caslick
Emilee Cherry
Shannon Parry
Emma Tonegato
Sharni Williams
Volvo People’s Choice Award – Presented by Volvo Cars Australia
Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs)
Scott Fardy (Brumbies)
Israel Folau (Waratahs)
Bernard Foley (Waratahs)
Will Genia (Reds)
Michael Hooper (Waratahs)
Ben McCalman (Force)
Sean McMahon (Rebels)
Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
David Pocock (Brumbies)
Buildcorp NRC Players’ Player – Presented by Buildcorp
Jarrad Butler (UC Vikings)
Nick Frisby (Brisbane City)
Karmichael Hunt (Brisbane City)
Samu Kerevi (Brisbane City)
Junior Laloifi (Brisbane City)
Jono Lance (NSW Country Eagles)
Jordy Reid (Melbourne Rising)
Ita Vaea (UC Vikings)
