The Rugby Players' Association (RPA) is a trade union representing elite rugby rugby union players in England. The RPA is the representative body and collective voice of elite rugby players in England and represents more than 1000 members across current and former players in the elite men's and women's games.
Overview RPA members qualify for a wide range of benefits, including: independent representation; legal advice; personal and professional development; playing insurance; education; confidential counselling; transition support; and more. Members can also access the support of a charity, Restart, in the event of serious illness, injury or hardship.
The RPA was founded by professional player Damian Hopley, who was forced to early retirement after an injury.Hopley continues as players' boss BBC 2006-10-30 Retrieved on 2009-02-13.
In August 2022, the RPA announced that Hopley was to leave the organisation after 24 years in charge of the company.
On 16 January 2023, it was announced that Christian Day, was elected the new General Secretary of the RPA, following an election to the membership.
RPA Men's Rugby Board The following rugby union professionals playing in England make up the current RPA Men's Rugby Board, as of the 2026-27 season.
Role Player Team Chair Max Lahiff Bristol Bears Vice-chair Ben Spencer Bath Rugby Board Member Murray McCallum Newcastle Red Bulls Will Evans Harlequins Emmanuel Iyogun Northampton Saints Olamide Sodeke Saracens Gus Warr Sale Sharks Ross Vintcent Exeter Chiefs Lewis Ludlow Gloucester Rugby Joe Heyes Leicester Tigers
RPA Women's Rugby Board In June 2025, the RPA members voted in favour of a proposal to establish a Women's Rugby Board.
The following rugby union professionals playing in England make up the current RPA Women's Rugby Board, as of the 2026-27 season.
Role Player Team Chair Abi Burton Trailfinders Vice-chair Grace Deane Leicester Board Member Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald Exeter Sam Monaghan Gloucester–Hartpury Amelia Kolev Harlequins Jenny Hesketh Bristol Megan Davey Loughborough Tysh Harper Sale Ella Wyrwas Saracens
Awards The following have been recognised at the annual RPA Awards, as voted on by professional rugby union players in England, since 2010:
+ Players' Player of the Year Year Player Team 2010 Schalk Brits Saracens 2011 Thomas Waldrom Leicester 2012 Nick Evans Harlequins 2013 Christian Wade Wasps 2014 Vereniki Goneva Leicester 2015 Jonathan Joseph Bath 2016 George Smith Wasps 2017 Jimmy Gopperth Wasps 2018 Telusa Veainu Leicester 2019 Danny Cipriani Gloucester 2020 Jack Willis Wasps 2021 Sam Simmonds Exeter 2022 André Esterhuizen Harlequins 2023 Jasper Wiese Leicester 2024 Fin Smith Northampton
+ Young Player of the Year Year Player Team 2010 Ben Youngs Leicester 2011 Manu Tuilagi Leicester 2012 Owen Farrell Saracens 2013 Christian Wade Wasps 2014 George Ford Bath 2015 Henry Slade Exeter 2016 Maro Itoje Saracens 2017 Zach Mercer Bath 2018 Marcus Smith Harlequins 2019 Ollie Thorley Gloucester 2020 Louis Rees-Zammit Gloucester 2021 Marcus Smith Harlequins 2022 Freddie Steward Leicester 2023 Tom Pearson London Irish 2024 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso Exeter
+ England 15s Player of the Year Year Men Women 2013 Joe Launchbury Emily Scarratt 2014 Mike Brown Rachael Burford 2015 Jonathan Joseph Rocky Clark 2016 Billy Vunipola Sarah Hunter 2017 Owen Farrell Tamara Taylor 2018 Mako Vunipola Danielle Waterman 2019 Jonny May Sarah Bern 2020 Tom Curry Zoe Aldcroft 2021 Tom Curry (2) Poppy Cleall 2022 Freddie Steward Marlie Packer 2023 Freddie Steward (2) Sadia Kabeya 2024 Ben Earl Alex Matthews
+ England 7s Player of the Year Year Men Women 2012 Mathew Turner Not awarded 2013 Dan Norton 2014 Tom Mitchell 2015 Alex Gray 2016 Dan Bibby 2017 Richard de Carpentier 2018 Ruaridh McConnochie Alex Matthews 2019 Will Muir Alex Matthews (2) 2020 Ben Harris Megan Jones
+ Special Merit Award (2010–15) Year Player Team 2010 Simon Shaw Wasps 2011 Danny Grewcock Bath 2012 Hugh Vyvyan Saracens 2013 Geordan Murphy Leicester 2014 Steve Borthwick Saracens 2015 Mark Cueto Sale
+ Special Merit Award (2016–21) Year Player Team 2016 Charlie Hodgson Saracens 2017 Nick Easter Harlequins 2018 Ian Robertson Not applicable 2019 Mathew Tait 2020 Richard Wigglesworth Saracens 2021 Ben Youngs Leicester
+ Special Merit Award (2022–) Year Player Team 2022 Danny Care Harlequins 2023 Dan Cole Leicester Owen Farrell Saracens Emily Scarratt Loughborough (W) 2024 Marlie Packer Saracens (W) Alex Waller Northampton
15 Under 23 The following teams represent the 15 Under 23, consisting of the top players in England aged 23 and under, as selected by voters, each year since 2022: 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–252025-26 Player Team Player Team Player Team Player TeamPlayerTeam 1. Bevan Rodd Sale Bevan Rodd Sale Fin Baxter Harlequins Asher Opoku-Fordjour Sale Fin BaxterHarlequins 2. Nic Dolly Leicester Theo Dan Saracens Theo Dan Saracens Theo Dan Saracens Nathan JibuluSale 3. Joe Heyes Leicester Joe Heyes Leicester Asher Opoku-Fordjour Sale Afolabi Fasogbon Gloucester Asher Opoku-FordjourSale 4. Nick Isiekwe Saracens George Martin Leicester Dafydd Jenkins Exeter Freddie Thomas Gloucester Tom BurrowSale 5. Ollie Chessum Leicester Hugh Tizard Saracens Ollie Chessum Leicester Arthur Clark Gloucester Elliot WilliamsHarlequins 6. Ben Earl Saracens Ted Hill Bath Chandler Cunningham-South Harlequins Guy Pepper Bath Guy PepperBath 7. Tom Pearson London Irish Tom Pearson London Irish Guy Pepper Newcastle Henry Pollock Northampton Henry PollockNorthampton 8. Fitz Harding Bristol Fitz Harding Bristol Ross Vintcent Exeter Greg Fisilau Exeter Greg FisilauExeter 9. Harry Randall Bristol Gus Warr Sale Jack van Poortvliet Leicester Jack van Poortvliet Leicester Archie McParlandNorthampton 10. Marcus Smith Harlequins Fin Smith Northampton Fin Smith Northampton Fin Smith Northampton Fin SmithNorthampton 11. Ollie Hassell-Collins London Irish Cadan Murley Harlequins Immanuel Feyi-Waboso Exeter Paul Brown-Bampoe Exeter Noah CalouriSaracens 12. Dan Kelly Leicester Seb Atkinson Gloucester Max Ojomoh Bath Seb Atkinson Gloucester Seb AtkinsonGloucester 13. Fraser Dingwall Northampton Ollie Lawrence Bath Oscar Beard Harlequins Oscar Beard Harlequins Tom LitchfieldNorthampton 14. Louis Rees-Zammit Gloucester Mateo Carreras Newcastle Tommy Freeman Northampton Immanuel Feyi-Waboso Exeter Immanuel Feyi-WabosoExeter 15. Freddie Steward Leicester Joe Carpenter Sale Josh Hodge Exeter Ciaran Donoghue Bath Ben RedshawGloucester Since the 2023/24 season, the RPA have also voted for a Women's 15 Under 23 Team of the Season, from players from Premiership Women's Rugby.
2023-24 2024–252025-26 Player Team Player TeamPlayerTeam 1. Abby Middlebrooke Exeter Chiefs Kelsey Clifford Saracens Amelia WilliamsLoughborough 2. Niamh Swailes Sale Lucy Calladine Loughborough Milly HyndmanSale 3. Kelsey Clifford Saracens Maud Muir Gloucester–Hartpury Nadine VincentLeicester 4. Delaney Burns Bristol Bears Lilli Ives Campion Loughborough Steph ElseGloucester–Hartpury 5. Lilli Ives Campion Loughborough Eva Donaldson Leicester Morwenna TallingSale 6. Maisy Allen Exeter Chiefs Georgia Brock Gloucester–Hartpury Haineala LutuiLoughborough 7. Sadia Kabeya Loughborough Maisy Allen Exeter Chiefs Maisy AllenExeter Chiefs 8. Evie Gallagher Bristol Bears Maddie Feaunati Exeter Chiefs Maddie FeaunatiExeter Chiefs 9. Tori Sellors Saracens Flo Robinson Exeter Chiefs Tori SellorsSaracens 10. Lleucu George Gloucester–Hartpury Lizzie Duffy Sale Lizzie DuffySale 11. Reneeqa Bonner Bristol Bears Mia Venner Gloucester–Hartpury Reneeqa BonnerBristol Bears 12. Carmella Morrall Loughborough Clàudia Peña Harlequins Sarah ParryHarlequins 13. Sophie Bridger Saracens Emma Orr Bristol Bears Clàudia PeñaHarlequins 14. Katie Shillaker Harlequins Millie David Bristol Bears Millie DavidBristol Bears 15. Ellie Kildunne Harlequins Emma Sing Gloucester–Hartpury Mia VennerGloucester–Hartpury
Hall of Fame The following players, coaches, officials, administrators and commentators have been inducted into the RPA Hall of Fame:
Year Inductee 1999 Michael Lynagh 2000 Cliff Morgan Peter Winterbottom 2001 Willie John McBride Philippe Sella 2002 Dean Richards John Rutherford 2003 Gerald Davies Tim Horan Peter Wheeler
Year Inductee 2004 Zinzan Brooke Gavin Hastings 2005 Sir Gareth Edwards Sean Fitzpatrick 2006 David Duckham Mike Gibson Sir Ian McGeechan 2007 Martin Johnson 2008 Richard Hill Jason Leonard
Year Inductee 2009 Fran Cotton Jeremy Guscott 2010 Bill McLaren 2011 Lawrence Dallaglio 2012 Jason Robinson 2013 Ieuan Evans 2014 Jonathan Davies 2015 Jonny Wilkinson 2016 Brian O'Driscoll 2017 Dan Carter
Year Inductee 2018 Sir Clive Woodward 2020 Sir Bill Beaumont 2021 Rocky Clark Alun Wyn Jones 2022 Katy Daley-McLean 2023 Sarah Hunter Doddie Weir 2024 Courtney Lawes
See also Rugby Union Players Association, Australian national association for players' interests formed in October 1995 Rugby Players Ireland, Irish national association for players' interests formed in October 2001 Welsh Rugby Players Association, Welsh national association for players' interests formed in 2003
References