News

Following the first RPA Players’ Board meeting of the season, the RPA is delighted to announce that Ruaridh McConnochie has been elected as RPA Chair, with Freddie Clarke taking on the role of Vice Chair.

The Bath winger succeeds recently retired Northampton Saint Ethan Waller. Ruaridh has served as Bath Rugby’s representative since the start of the 2023/24 season. He began his career with England 7s, representing Great Britain at the 2016 Olympic Games, where he won a silver medal. Transitioning to XVs in 2018, McConnochie joined Bath Rugby, earned an England cap in September 2019, playing at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Notably, he remains the only English men’s player to have competed in both an Olympic Games and a Rugby World Cup.. His remarkable breadth of experience, and commitment to prioritising players’ interests, makes him an excellent figurehead for elite English players.

Gloucester Rugby’s Freddie Clarke will also play a significant role for the Board, assisting Ruaridh in the role as Vice-Chair. Following Harry Elrington’s retirement, Freddie has taken over the role of Gloucester’s representative, and subsequently elected by the board as their Vice-Chair. He brings with him vast experience from the Premiership, Championship and BUCS Leagues. The RPA is excited about the leadership and collaboration Ruaridh and Freddie will bring to the Players’ Board.

There are a number of new faces for the 2024/45 season, with Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), Tom Emery and Heather Cowell (GB7’s) all being elected to the board for the first time. Long-standing player reps Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers), Sarah Bern (Red Roses) and Max Lahiff (Bristol Bears) remain on the board for another season, while last year’s remaining player reps all return for their second year. Read the full list of the Players Board here.

At the Players’ Board meeting, kindly hosted by Jake Heenan’s Burra Café in Bristol, the player reps had updates from the Red Roses, GB7s and General Secretary Christian Day, as well as in-person presentations on the men’s Premiership and player welfare from Premiership Rugby CEO, Simon Massie-Taylor, and Head of Science and Medical Operations, Matt Cross.

Reflecting on his new appointment as RPA Chair, Ruaridh said: "I am honoured to hold the role as Chair of the RPA. I put myself forward for this role as I wanted to give back to our current members where I can, and help shape the game for future players. I’m excited to see where we can go as an organisation.”

On their new role, RPA Vice Chair Freddie Clarke said: "I am honoured to be elected as Vice Chairman of the RPA. I look forward to representing and supporting my fellow members as we work together to strengthen and protect the game.”

RPA General Secretary Christian Day said of the new Players Board appointees: "The RPA exists to support, promote and protect players. Our Chair and Vice Chair, as heads of the elected Players’ Board, ensure that our members are engaged with decision making that affect them in the game that they love. With the players now holding seats on the new Professional Rugby Board, this engagement of our members is vital in ensuring that they are represented clearly and effectively whilst holding the games stakeholders to account on issues such as player welfare and wellbeing, all with the aim of making England the best place to play rugby.

Being elected to represent more than 600 of their peers across the men’s and women’s game shows the regard that both Ruaridh and Freddie are held in. They are highly experienced in the English game having represented teams both domestically and internationally. They bring a diversity of thought and experience that is crucial to the RPA as we seek to best represent our membership. The players know them and trust and respect their voice in the game.

On behalf of all the members and team at the RPA we also want to extend a very sincere and big thank you to Ethan and Harry for their contribution to the Players' Board during an incredibly testing period for the game. They leave the RPA and the game in a better place.”