Irish Rugby Union Players Association

IRUPA
Full name Irish Rugby Union Players Association
Founded 2001
Key people Omar Hassanein
Office location Clonskeagh, Dublin.
Country Ireland
Website www.irupa.ie

The Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA) is the representative body for professional rugby players in Ireland. Founded in October 2001, its aims are to promote and protect the welfare of professional rugby players in Ireland.[1][2] The Chief Executive Officer is Omar Hassanein and Rob Kearney is its current chairman.[3] Its headquarters are in Clonskeagh in Dublin.

Objectives

The associations objectives are:-

Services

Player Services Programme

IRUPA provides a Player Services Advisor. This provides player guidance on all aspects of their career, including education, personal development to prepare them for the transition to life after professional rugby.[2]

Contract negotiations and dispute resolution

The association acts as a negotiator between players and their employer. They are involved with negotiating group contracts in areas such as match and win bonuses and act as a go-between in the event of disputes.[5] This includes bringing industrial action if necessary [6]

History

In October 2001 Ireland's professional rugby players set up the Irish Rugby Union Players' Association. Over 95% of all players with a contract with the IRFU joined the new body. Liam Toland and Peter McKenna were appointed Chairman and Secretary.[4]

In 2003, the members of the association realised the need for a full time employee and former Ireland International Niall Woods was appointed the first full time Chief Executive Officer.[4]

Awards

Current holder of IRUPA Players player of the year; Tommy Bowe

IRUPA has run the annunal IRUPA Awards dinner from 2002 which gives recognition to rugby players in a number of categories. The awards dinner is run to support the injured players fund.[7] The most prestigious award is the Players' Player of the Year award which is voted for by playing members of IRUPA.

List of Players' Player of the Year award winners

Year Player Team
2003 Malcolm O'Kelly Leinster[8]
2004 Gordon D'Arcy Leinster[9]
2005 Johnny O'Connor London Wasps [10]
2006 Paul O'Connell Munster [11]
2007 Gordon D'Arcy Leinster [12]
2008 Tommy Bowe Ospreys [13]
2009 Brian O'Driscoll Leinster[14]
2010 Tommy Bowe * Ospreys [13]
2011 Isa Nacewa Leinster[15]

* Tommy Bowe was also awarded the 2010 WRPA Players Player of the Year Award. [16]

Other awards

Other awards include the Young Player of the Year award, Try of the Year and the Unsung Hero as well as the Hall of Fame.

List of Hall of Fame inductees

The IRUPA Hall of Fame includes the following members:

Year Inductee(s)
2003 Mick Galwey, Peter Clohessy
2004 Keith Wood, Paddy Johns
2005 Eric Elwood
2006 Jeremy Davidson
2007 Victor Costello
2008 David Humphreys
2009 Anthony Foley
2010 Girvan Dempsey

[17]

Injured players fund

IRUPA administers the injured players fund which provides support to players who are forced to retire from rugby due to illness or injury. The fund is reliant on individual and corporate donations.[18] The IRUPA annual awards dinner is also a major part of the its fundraising activity.[19] Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, IRUPA made a donation of €20,000 from the injured players fund to assist with relief efforts through aid agency Concern.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "IRUPA HOME PAGE". IRUPA. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Preparing for the life less ordinary". Irish Independent. 2008-09-15. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "IRUPA Members Donate €20,000 to Concern Earthquake Appeal". Emerald Rugby. 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "ABOUT US". IRUPA. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  5. ↑ "IRFU meeting IRUPA over pay dispute". RTÉ. 2004-11-19. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  6. ↑ "IRFU 'disrespectful', claim players". breakingnews.ie. 2004-05-25. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  7. ↑ "The Irish Rugby Union Players’ Association has announced the nominations for Player of the Year for 2010". sportsnewsireland.com. 2010-04-27. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  8. ↑ "IRUPA Mira Rugby Players Awards 2003". IRUPA. 2003-05-19. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  9. ↑ "IRUPA Awards". irishrugby.ie. 2004-05-20. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  10. ↑ "O'Connor wins Irish players gong". BBC. 2005-05-05. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  11. ↑ "BT IRUPA Rugby Players Awards 2006". IRUPA. 2006-05-15. Retrieved 03/06/2005. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ↑ "D'Arcy picks up second Players' Player gong". RTÉ. 2007-04-25. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Bowe Voted Irish Players' Player Of The Year". irishrugby.ie. 12/05/2010. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  14. ↑ "O'Driscoll Chosen As IRUPA Players' Player Of The Year". irishrugby.ie. 06/05/2009. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  15. ↑ "Nacewa scoops IRUPA award". 04/05/2011. Retrieved 07/05/2011. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  16. ↑ "Bowe scoops Welsh honour". Scrum.com. 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  17. ↑ "Hall of Fame". IRUPA. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  18. ↑ "Injured players fund". IRUPA. Retrieved 03/06/2010. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  19. ↑ "IRUPA Award Nominees Announced". irishrugby.ie. 09/04/2009. Retrieved 2010-06-06. Check date values in: |date= (help)