Rugby Union Players Association
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| Full name | Rugby Union Players' Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1995 |
| Office location | Mallet Street, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Website | rupa |
The Rugby Union Players' Association (RUPA) is the representative body for professional rugby union players in Australia. It was formed in October 1995 in response to the professionalism of rugby.
As soon as a player signs a Rugby contract in Australia they are offered the chance to become a RUPA member regardless of nationality. As of December 2015[update], all of Australia’s professional and semi-professional Rugby players were RUPA members, including male and female professionals across Rugby Sevens and 15-a-side Rugby, totalling approximately 400 players.
RUPA also provides support services for all past (retired) professional Rugby players.
Its members comprise the following:
In August 1995, the ARU, NSWRU, QRU and the ACTRU agreed to support the establishment of a players’ association and to loan it $10,000.00 for set up costs and to allow it distribute television revenue. The RUPA was established and the following month, an initial steering committee made of Tony Dempsey, Ewen McKenzie, George Gregan, Damien Smith, Mark Harthill, Tim Kava, Rod McCall and Rod Kafer was formed with Dempsey being elected President in December 1995.
Dempsey remained as president until the end of 2009 when he resigned and was replaced by Omar Hassanein as acting chief. Greg Harris was appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RUPA in 2010, and upon his departure in February 2015 Ross Xenos was appointed in his place.
RUPA has a thirteen-person Executive, currently led by President Benn Robinson and Chairman Bruce Hodgkinson SC.
Full RUPA board as of 11 February 2016:
RUPA's head office is based in Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales. As of May 2017[update], working out of the head office are: Ross Xenos (Chief Executive Officer), Rosemary Towner (General Manager, Player Development), Toby Duncan (General Manager, Player Services & Operations), Adrian Turner (Legal Counsel), Patrick Phibbs (Player Welfare Manager) and Pete Fairbairn (Communications Manager).
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