RPA ACADEMY PLAYERS' INDUCTION RECOGNISED AS VITAL FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
RPA Head Player Development Manager, Tim Nicholls said: "The aim of the Academy Induction Day is to educate and inform young players with regard to their future careers in professional rugby. It is designed to highlight both the opportunities and the risks associated with professional rugby, and the importance of developing themselves as rounded individuals in preparation for careers and life after they have finished playing.
"It is important for players entering the professional game to get expert advice that will signpost how they can be the best players on and off the field, and the Academy Induction Day is their essential starting point to becoming exemplary professional sportsmen."
The day was attended by over 60 Academy Players, who enjoyed presentations from sports, legal and health experts outlining the landscape of professional rugby and advising on playing insurance, player agents, drug awareness and anti-doping, social responsibility, and the range of health, welfare and education opportunities offered by the RPA's Player Development Programme.
The day was well supported by a number of high profile former professional players including Harry Ellis, Jim Evans, Leon Lloyd and Kevin Maggs, who shared their advice and experience of life as professional players with the Academy attendees.
Jim Evans, now the Assistant Academy Coach at Harlequins said: "I thought it was a brilliant day, really good for the guys, who have now got a much better understanding of how things work in professional sport.
"It was especially important to have staged the day at the start of the season, highlighting what it means to be a pro from the off. The boys were introduced to subjects such as dealing with agents or going on loan to another club that will begin to affect them from now, so it is important that they are informed from the start."
Evans retired through injury this year following a 10 year playing career at Harlequins, and also took part in a Q&A with some of the Academy attendees in his capacity as a former player.
He said: "I mainly talked about how important it is to do something outside of rugby. After being forced to retire I landed on my feet getting taken on to work with Quins Academy, as I'd put off preparing myself for what would happen after rugby. Not every player is going to be so lucky, so I think it was massively important to get that across."
The RPA Academy Induction Day was very well received by Academy players and Managers alike.
Howard Graham, Academy Coach at Harlequins said: "The day delivered some important messages for our new Academy Players and did that in a very good way, giving the players tips about how they can protect themselves against some of the pitfalls of being a professional player, and highlighting the need to look after their futures once their rugby careers are over.
"Allowing the boys to hear from external experts, such as media lawyers and former professional players who have been through the experience themselves had a strong impact, as it's good to hear advice from the horse's mouth."
Conor McGrath, Academy prop at Sale Sharks said: "It was all very useful. Professional rugby is a big organisation and the opportunity to learn more about it makes you feel safer going into it. At a day like this you'll learn stuff that is vital, without it you're going in ill-equipped."
Jonah Holmes, Academy scrum half at London Wasps said: "I wasn't expecting to find out as much as I did from the day. New academy players need to come to this, it's very useful and a very good use of the time."
Will Spencer, Academy lock at Bath Rugby said: "I was surprised about how in depth the day was. The whole day was good, and I have learnt so much from speaking to the former players like Harry Ellis. It's kick-started me into speaking to agents, sorting out my insurance and so on."
The guest presenters included Corin Palmer, Premiership Rugby Development & Academy Manager, Matt Himsworth, specialist lawyer in reputation management at media law firm, Schillings, Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Philip Hopley from LPP Consulting - the UK's leading team of individual and corporate mental health specialists, and Mark Haslam, criminal defence lawyer and partner at criminal law firm, BCL Burton Copland.
Matt Himsworth said: "Education and opportunities like the RPA Academy Induction Day are absolutely crucial for young players. We are living in a technological age, dealing with an increasingly invasive press and a burgeoning number of on-line publications and social networking opportunities. These young lads are starting with a clean sheet, but it's important for them to learn about the power and dangers of the technology that is available to them and how it can affect their careers."
For more information about the RPA Player Development Programme please contact Tim Nicholls, RPA Head Player Development Manager on 0208 831 7930 or email tnicholls@theRPA.co.uk
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