STRONG MOVES FOR RUGBY CLUB
THE NZRPA IS BREATHING LIFE BACK INTO ITS RUGBY CLUB CONCEPT AND HOPES IT COULD BECOME A VALUABLE VEHICLE FOR KEEPING PAST AND CURRENT PLAYERS CONNECTED. Retiring from rugby won’t have to mean leaving the atmosphere of the team behind, now that the NZRPA’s rejuvenated Rugby Club project is up and running.
The Rugby Club, which grew out of the landmark NZRPA Alumni Research Project, is bringing together a vast database of former professional players who are keen to share their experiences with players coming through.
A recent meeting in Auckland brought together a large number of former players and stakeholders, who helped shape the future focus of the Rugby Club and how it will benefit both retired and current players.
“One of the things I really miss about rugby is the camaraderie of working with a group of like- minded mates, doing what we love,” former All Black and Blues stalwart Adrian Cashmore said.
“You get that to a certain extent in some aspects of business but it’s never the same as being in a tight- knit rugby team. The Rugby Club concept will let us capture a bit of that team spirit again and this has got all the hallmarks of a pretty cool team brewing. The difference is that we’re hoping the squad size will be a lot bigger than normal – it will definitely be a case of the more, the merrier.”
Cashmore joined the likes of John Leslie,
Tabai Matson, Mark Ranby, Shannon Paku, Paul Steinmetz, Brent Ward, Josh Blackie, Keith Lowen, Filipo Levi, Blair Feeney and James Arlidge at the meeting, along with NZRPA and NZRU representatives.
NZRPA personal development manager Tim Weston said the discussions centred on two main areas; transitions out of rugby and the support currently offered to NZRPA members, and what Rugby Club events and initiatives will look like to increase player and former player engagement.
The former players reported back that there were two types of transition player – one who was forced to transition through injury or loss of contract and one who chooses their transition – and they had different needs.
They supported the focus areas of career transition, financial management and physical and mental well- being, while the players emphasised that having an exit strategy was the key to success.
Having someone talk to them about career transitions was also vitally important and was often the catalyst, the former players said.
“One of the biggest advantages we’ve got as former players is that we’ve been there, done that,” Ranby pointed out.
“There was a whole heap of experience in that room, including guys who had their careers ended by injury and guys who had struggled to make the transition from rugby into the business world. They’re more than happy to share those lessons learned with young guys, to help them avoid potential pitfalls.”
Feedback from the day suggested several ways to make sure retired players engaged with the Rugby Club in future.
These included making sure there was a meaningful component to any gatherings, with players able to freely share experiences and learn from each other.
They were also in favour of using Rugby Club functions to support or recognise past and current players through tough times and through good times, while retaining the pure social function of the gatherings.
“The real positive from the conference was the enthusiasm and excitement for the ongoing development of the Rugby Club that will provide a platform for strong support and greater interaction for our retired players,” Ward said.
Weston was delighted with the response from the conference and is excited about how the Rugby Club is shaping up.
“We now have the foundations and a great launching pad to create a thriving network of retired professional players,” he said.
“The group gave us a really solid picture of the challenges faced when transitioning from a rugby career and what support they need during that time. Our plan now is to harness that knowledge and all the enthusiasm that was at the conference to build the Rugby Club into something every player – past, present or future – will embrace.”