The New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association details some of its recent initiatives and stories of what past and current players are up to in Player’s Own.
COMES TO AN END
WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING FORMER BLUES AND NORTH HARBOUR LOCK AND QUALIFIED LAWYER CHRIS SMITH ON HIS UNITED STATES SOJOURN – HE GIVES US AN UPDATE AFTER FINISHING HIS STINT AT THE POWERFUL NFL PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION. PLAYERS OWN: Can you just remind us what you’ve been working on for the last eight months?
CHRIS SMITH: As an exchange attorney with the NFLPA legal team, my work was varied and extremely interesting. My main responsibilities included working with NFLPA staff counsel to file grievances on behalf of NFL players, preparing for arbitration hearings against NFL clubs as well as legal research monitoring the collective bargaining agreement.
PO: Tell us some of the main things you’ve learned in your time there?
CS: The professional environment the NFLPA works in was an eye- opener. The relationship between the NFLPA and NFL and its clubs is quite adversarial, with the NFLPA’s history littered with players having fought for basic employment rights such as free agency and basic health and safety standards. The Players’ Association has to work hard to protect the working rights of its members. From my experiences during collective bargaining last year, the great working relationship between the NZRPA and New Zealand Rugby is extremely enviable in comparison.
Another key learning was how different state- based legislation can impact working conditions for players. The legal team and lobbyists, while I was there, had to spend a huge amount of time and money preventing the Louisiana State Legislature from making drastic changes to its workers compensation laws ( similar to New Zealand’s ACC legislation) which would have had dramatic ramifications, especially for injured or former NFL players.
PO: Can you pick a highlight from what sounds like an amazing eight months?
CS: It was a surreal experience presenting concussion findings to members of the United States congress on Capitol Hill, along
with former NFL players, as was a tour of the White House. I also attended our workers compensation conference in Phoenix, Arizona, which was a great change from the April snow. The biggest highlight, however, was the people of the organisation - the way I was welcomed and brought into things by all 100- plus employees of the union was amazing and extremely humbling.
PO: What about living in Washington DC?
CS: Former Northland and North Harbour player Marty Veale hooked me up with the Old Blue New York rugby club, so on weekends from February through May, I would play some code either in New York City or elsewhere on the East Coast. This was fantastic - it’s a great club led by Marty and chairman Brian Murphy, with some top- quality lads. Working a block from the White House as well as all the historic landmarks around Washington DC was pretty amazing, as was my eventual familiarity with New York City. Again, though, the great people I met and got to know during my time couldn’t be topped.
PO: So what’s next for you?
CS: I’m heading to London to pursue an opportunity with the law firm Lewis Silkin, while my knee continues to recuperate to full strength. Hopefully soon, I’ll be chasing a ball around for a living again!