Earlier this week, the Rugby Union Players’ Association (RUPA) ventured to Ballymore, Brisbane, to catch up with the Queensland Reds for a mid-season team visit.
It was the first time that RUPA had visited the Reds since they held elections for a new Player Director in March, with James Slipper replacing James Horwill in the role after ‘Kev’ moved to the UK to play for Harlequins.
RUPA spoke to Reds players around a number of issues, seeking feedback regarding topics including travel, mental health and wellbeing, player burnout, the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC), agent regulations, insurance and more.
Two player delegates were also elected at the Reds, with Kane Douglas and Sam Talakai endorsed by their peers to assist Slipper and enhance RUPA’s engagement with the Reds’ playing group.
It was also an opportunity to acknowledge players selected in the Australian U20s side, congratulate Junior Laloifi on the birth of his first child and Henry Taefu on his impending arrival and also congratulate RUPA-Reds Player Development Manager (PDM) Matt Smith, based out of the Reds, for his work as a key part of the off-field staff for the Queensland Women’s U21s hockey team at their National Championships (many may not know that Smith won an Olympic bronze medal (1996) and two Commonwealth Games gold medals (1998 & 2002) as a hockey player himself).
The visit also included an opportunity for RUPA staff to catch up with members of the Reds’ communications and Rugby departments, which presents an opportunity to share ideas and discuss how to work well alongside one another.
Slipper and former Reds star, now Co-Opted Director on the RUPA Board, Adam Wallace-Harrison then took time from their busy schedules to dive further into the game’s burning issues.
Next up for RUPA is a visit to see the Waratahs, hopefully after they’ve knocked off the Cheetahs this weekend.
