RUPA Transition Booklet - The Advantage Line

EW N A N I F SEL R U O Y G IN D N A T S R STORY UNDE

UR O Y F O R CHAPTE

T E L K O O B N O I T I S N A TR PREPARING YOURSELF FOR TAKING THE NEXT STEP FORWARD WITH THE ADVANTAGE LINE PROGRAM

MESSAGE FROM NATIONAL PLAYER DEVELOPMENT MANAGER It’s sometimes hard to know what the right decision might be when considering whether to hang up the boots. There’s so much uncertainty about what could happen with each decision and there can be pressure around making a call that closes the door on an important chapter of your life.

Some feel like they know it’s time and never lace up a boot again, some enjoy rounding out their career back at a club rugby and others might even get an unexpected overseas or interstate offer they feel they can’t refuse.

Some are forced to walk away with injury and others want to prioritise their lives in other ways.

Many make a decision and then change their minds and that’s perfectly normal!

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Wallaby #737 James Holbeck

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POSITIVE TAKE ON TRANSITION Do you identify with any of these potential positives?

1. Renewed Freedom a. You will have more time for other activities in life that have not been possible with rugby as a priority. You will have your weekends back. b. You now have the opportunity to pursue new goals or undertake new challenges. You can now apply some of your skills from performing in high performance sporting environments to another setting or career. c. You will have an opportunity to understand yourself in a new way by building a new identity of yourself or adapting the old one. Are you sick of always been described purely as a one-dimensional person, as just a rugby player?

2. Ending the Grind of Professional Rugby a. You will no longer have any physical demands that the game asked of you on a daily basis. Have you ever woken up and the first thing you do is to check the body to see how it’s pulled up to know if you can even train or play on that day? Perhaps you’ve become sick of pushing your body through the pain barrier or with injury. Maybe you’ll enjoy not having to endure the monotony of another pre-season grind. b. You could be leaving behind the sporting culture that asks so much of you, but also sometimes can feel like it doesn’t really respect or care about your sacrifices. Some sporting cultures can have unrealistic expectations of you, or an unhealthy culture that didn’t bring out the best in you or others. You will now be out of that environment.

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POSITIVE TAKE ON TRANSITION 3. The increased stability of having a base-location. a. You will have greater stability in life, with less travel and the effects on your living circumstances. Travelling when you first start playing rugby can be exciting but can become stale after a few years of living out of a suitcase & being away from the one’s you love. Now can be a time to create a place that feels like home for many who have had to relocate to play the game.

What aspects will you enjoy away from the constant travel? b. You will now have a renewed ability to form more connected relationships with those outside of the team. If you’ve had kids, you may have missed key milestones or some of the aspects you’d like to be more involved in like school drop-offs. For some people moving away from rugby allows them to spend more time with their friends & family, doing the things that rugby has restricted.

Summary: Maybe all those positives are true for you or some are more relevant than the others, but identifying a few can help with any black and white thinking that might only be drawn to seeing the negatives of transition.

Black and white thinking is where we only see the negatives in the transition experience, and choose to focus only on those aspects rather than acknowledging that there might be some benefits in the change of circumstance and some aspects to look forward to.

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THE 6 CHALLENGES OF MOVING FORWARD 1) Not knowing what to do with your career or having to find a job is an uncomfortable challenge for many players. Some find it challenging to change from an industry where they are considered an expert, to now learning basic new tasks. Click here to access Robert Walters support.

2) Interestingly identity changes are seen as a positive but also a challenging aspect of transition. Some ask who are they, away from The Rugby Player.

Page 18 for activity.

3) The social changes out of the team environment can be difficult, particularly with staying connected with team mates. You no longer have a buzzing team environment to feel at home. You can feel isolated. Page 18 for activity 4) Missing the Lifestyle – life can seem hard when moving to a new lifestyle with new things to learn and a new way to live. Even though the daily grind was difficult, it also brought a sense of daily accomplishment working together with your teammates towards a common purpose. Page 18 for activity 5) Unfulfilled goals – seeking after high standards can be hard to let go of.

However this disappearing can be an intense reality check to the temporality of the professional environment. Letting go of the vision of a great comeback or an ideal finish when it doesn’t eventuate can be hard. Click here to see your transferable skills.

6) Prolonged injury – a reminder of the sacrifices for your pursuit of playing at a high level and if you finish in a way that doesn’t honour that commitment, it can feel that you’ve given yourself for an unworthy cause. Every past player needs to do a medical assessment with their team doctor, and then has access to medical coverage for 2 years post final contract date.

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TOP TIPS Learning to appreciate your own achievements allows you to remember your experiences through a more positive lens. This breaks some of the high standards that drove us not to accept anything but perfection. Write down your top 5 achievements.

Creating stories of how you dealt with setbacks, can help others going through similar circumstances and create closure or an ending to challenging times. Write 2 stories of resilience where you came back from a setback and what you learnt that you could pass on to a potential interviewer.

Remember the growth mindset that allowed you to become a highly skilled rugby player means allowing yourself to suck at something new and applying yourself to improve over time. Think of times you put yourself outside of your comfort zone to improve your performance. Be patient with yourself to learn new skills.

Embrace new social groups and networks. Sure, it might not be the same as a rugby environment, but it can add great support and a sense of belonging in a new way. Overcoming the feeling of isolation means forming social or friendship groups who can join you on mutually enjoyable activities like fishing, surfing, coffee, etc. Learn to be the initiator who plans an event with people you like hanging out with.

Attend past player functions. It doesn’t matter how many seasons or games you played but connecting with people who have shared many similar experiences and challenges can help you find your feet outside of rugby and potentially have connections to an industry that you are interested or involved in.

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TOP TIPS Become involved in the game in a different way to maintain the connection to a team environment and use your hard-earned expertise.

You could coach your child’s team or become involved in the club game.

Some people feel they need a break from rugby and that is normal too.

Find other ways of staying connected with a community event or a regular gym class.

Think of some of the skills you developed while playing such as teamwork, evaluation of performance, leadership and effective communication. You have some amazing skills built under pressure in high performing teams. You are an asset when positioned in the right place. Check out how to build your transferable skills from our website.

When you finish playing professionally in Australia, you have three years of study that you can claim through the Training & Education Fund. It’s a great idea to work with your PDM to help you get started or to look at courses you may be interested in studying. To access click here.

Many transitioning players find their own work through discovering who’s in their existing network of friends, club sponsors or people involved in their club. RUPA also has an alumni & associates that they can connect you with. Coffee career conversations can be a great way of finding out more about what people do without the pressure of asking for work. Click here to join the RUPA Alumni Facebook Page.

Your journey through transition is unique and can feel a bit like grieving.

Remember that you have psychological support that can be arranged through your PDM or Rugby Australia’s TELUS Health support. Go to page 16 to access.

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RUPA PARTNERSHIPS RUPA’s partners are each built off a genuine collaborative relationship, designed to provide comprehensive resources, opportunities and support systems to not only players, but past players.

RUPA ensures that each partnership focuses not only on player welfare, but long-term support servicing to ensure players feel fully equipped in their long-term journey through life after rugby. Whether it be access to career/finance specialists or necessary health services, RUPA is committed to supporting players in all aspects of their lives.

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ROBERT WALTERS Past players can access specialised one-on-one or group appointments with Robert Walters’ Recruitment Specialists for the purpose of developing CV writing skills, interview skills, transferable skills and identifying career opportunities to assist them in their post-rugby transition journey. Robert Walters are providing many past players with a toolbox of resources to assist them in their off-field career/educational development, and since partnering, they have connected many players with their chosen careers.

Contact ananyab@rupa.com.au to access these services.

"Just as in rugby, success in the professional world requires strategy, skill, and a strong support network. We aim to provide the players with the tools and guidance needed to help them through transitioning to a new career, navigating the jobs market and fulfilling their potential off the field.”

Andrew Hanson (Robert Walters Managing Director)

LinkedIn Profile 10 Interview Tips checklist

10 Networking Tips

CV Template

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Cover Letter Template

Soft Skills

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EVERYTHING MENTAL TOUGHNESS Everything Mental Toughness is a leading provider of psychological assessment tools to develop mental skills for life. This collaboration introduces the MTQPlus Assessment to the rugby community, aiming to enhance players' mental fortitude and life skills both on and off the field.

The MTQPlus Assessment is a robust psychometric tool designed to measure mental toughness, an essential trait for success in high-pressure environments such as professional sports. MTQPlus evaluates four key components: Click below to access MTQPlus Assessment and contact ananyab@rupa.com.au to access the assessment.

Control assesses players’ influence over their lives and emotions; Commitment measures goal-setting and perseverance; Challenge gauges adaptability and growth mindset; and Confidence evaluates self-belief and interpersonal interactions. +123-456-7890 hello@reallygreatsite.com newsletter@rupa.com.au

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PAXANIMI RUPA has entered a new partnership with PaxAnimi®, proving RUPA members with a unique approach to complete a comprehensive online estate planning assessment with documents delivered quickly and cost-effectively, online.

Over 50% of Australians do not have a legal will or form of estate planning in place.

Through this partnership, past and present RUPA Members, as well as family members of players, will have access to VIP pricing, negotiated specifically for RUPA members.

Putting in place your estate and wills is essential in ensuring peach of mind for you and your family

The PaxAnimi® service includes all legal advice and guidance to generate and execute wills (including testamentary trusts), powers of attorney and guardianship documents, online.

To access, contact: ananyab@rupa.com.au

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LONDON ACADEMY OF TRADING LAT, is a financial trading education provider, in courses such as Cryptocurrency, Trading Psychology, Equity Investing, Wealth Management etc. This collaboration marks a significant addition to RUPA’s suite of support services forward in providing players with comprehensive career development opportunities.

Through this partnership, past players (and their friends and family), will have access to a variety of LAT's programs at VIP pricing, including short courses, diplomas, and advanced certifications. Click below to access LAT courses:

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS LAT COURSES USE DISCOUNT CODE RUPA5 ACCESS LAT’S TRADING COURSES This partnership, was endorsed by former RUPA President and Wallaby #952, Dave Porecki. Click below to hear from Dave on his experience with LAT.

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WORLD RUGBY BRAIN HEALTH SERVICE The World Rugby Brain Health Service is now live and available to support former rugby union players to undergo a health screening process. The service provides a health report to recommend modifiable lifestyle habits with a view to improving quality of life or providing referrals for further testing if required. Click here to read more.

The service is available to any male and female retired players who have competed at an International or Super Rugby level.

“Player welfare is World Rugby’s number one priority and that applies equally to current and former players.

In providing this Brain Health Service, World Rugby is once again demonstrating that our sport leads the world in looking after our players at all levels of the game and that we will never stand still when it comes to ensuring rugby is a game that can be enjoyed by everyone at every level of the sport.”

Professor Martin Raftery (World Rugby Deputy Chief Medical Officer) +123-456-7890 hello@reallygreatsite.com newsletter@rupa.com.au

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WORLD RUGBY BRAIN HEALTH SERVICE CLICK THE LINK BELOW AND CREATE AN ACCOUNT

YOUR GP WILL ASSESS YOUR RESULTS, AND GO OVER ANY NECESSARY NEXT STEPS

COMPLETE THE INITIAL QUESTIONNAIRE

ARRANGE APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR GP

REPORT SHARED WITH YOUR GP

ONCE COMPLETED THE QUESTIONNAIRE, A BRAIN HEALTH PRACTITIONER WILL ARRANGE YOUR BRAIN HEALTH ASSESSMENT VIA ZOOM

VIRTUAL BRAIN HEALTH ASSESSMENT (APPROX. 30MINS) REPORT PREPARED

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MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING SUPPORT Rugby AU’s partner, Telus Health, formerly known as Benestar, is a leading provider of health and wellbeing services, providing members with resources and specialised services to support mental wellbeing.

Through the app, Australian Rugby Union players (past and present), staff, and their families, have 24/7 access to a range of wellbeing/support services to assist in navigating life's challenges.

As part of this partnership, you will have access to 6 complimentary and confidential sessions with clinical specialists, per wellbeing issue.

Such issues include addiction, family, relationships, trauma and other professional advice such as nutrition, finance and legal services.

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TELUS HEALTH - EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TELUS Health EAP provides you and your family with immediate, free and confidential help for work, health or life concerns.

Access your EAP 24/7 by phone or mobile app.

Phone: 1300 360 364 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Support Line: 1800 816 152

Download the TELUS Health One app.

Username: ARU Password: ARU01

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MORE THAN A RUGBY PLAYER “Probably millions of us grew up wanting to be a professional athlete. I am not sure, however, how many would want to quit being one.”

- Owen Slot (The Times Reporter) “Who are you? That’s a question you ask of yourself when stripped naked of your sporting identity. You are now a retired sportsperson.

Someone defined by what they once did or for some, what never really happened. You are a once was or a never was. …We are grieving both the loss of a part of our lives that defined us and also, unfulfilled dreams that now can never happen.”

-James Holbeck Wallaby #737 “You go from being the king of your domain, where you know exactly what your job is, the influence you can have on your teammates ... then all of a sudden, you're standing on your own in a room full of strangers, which are your new work friends… And they're wanting to talk to you about what you used to be, and all you want to focus on is what you want to become."

- Brendan Cannon Wallaby #769

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MORE THAN A RUGBY PLAYER ACTIVITY The activity is designed to help address the sense of identity loss and isolation that occurs for many players going through transition. Social identity allows participants to understand themselves in a broader sense, across different areas of life and then reflect on who they are in that setting and how it drives a sense of belonging.

Start by identifying all the groups or teams you interact with across different domains in life including family, work, teams, club rugby teams, school friends, gym classes, leisure group activities you may be involved in, faith-based groups, cultural groups, and other groups to which you belong.

Represent them as shapes and complete the task below the example:

Family 5 4 4

Surfing 4 5 4

Friends outside of Rugby 3 4 3

Church 4 4 5

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Gym 4 4 4

Cousins 5 5 5

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MORE THAN A RUGBY PLAYER ACTIVITY For each group you belong to rate the following (next to each shape): How positive do you feel about being part of this group? 1-5 Do you feel like you are typical or representative of the members in this group? 1-5 How much support do you receive from this group? 1-5 What are some new groups you might be joining or would like to join?

What are some positive aspects of being part of this new environment?

When you look at all the groups you belong to, it can reinforce that you are more than a rugby player or it might give you motivation to think of joining more groups in the future.

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PAST PLAYER RESOURCES BDO Financial planning consultations and financial health checks from RUPA's partner BDO, are delivered at VIP pricing from financial specialists.

Clinical Psychologists TELUS Health Access to 6 sessions per issue from, Rugby AU’s Partner, TELUS Health

Harvey Norman Discount Players have access to VIP pricing at Harvey Norman.

To access, email ananyab@rupa.com.au

Username: ARU Password: ARU01

Email ananyab@rupa.com.au with the SKU/model number of the product/s you wish to purchase and local store.

Robert Walters

Networking

PaxAnimi

Access one on one career counselling with Robert Walters, in consultation with your PDM.

RUPA, alongside its commercial partners, provide players with networking opportunities to connect with Industry Leaders.

Access to VIP pricing for estate planning. available to current, past players and families of players

To access, email ananyab@rupa.com.au

To access, email ananyab@rupa.com.au

To access, email ananyab@rupa.com.au

London Academy of Trading

Everything Mental Toughness

Brain Health Service

Access to VIP pricing for short courses, diplomas, and advanced certifications in financial trading.

Access to VIP pricing to complete the MTQPlus assessment test.

Access to VIP pricing for estate planning. available to current, past players and families of players

reallygreatsite.com

Use code RUPA5 to unlock discount

Download the TELUS Health One app

To access, email ananyab@rupa.com.au

To access, email ananyab@rupa.com.au

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PAST PLAYER RESOURCES Use the below template to set out a goal plan and action steps to overcome possible obstacles and barriers. Setting short term goals and achieving them can build momentum in a period of time where you feel aimless.

GOAL

GOAL PROGRESS:

START DATE:

DUE DATE:

0%

ACTION STEPS

100% POSSIBLE OBSTACLES E.g Feeling demotivated in not knowing what to do next

HOW TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES: IF...THEN...STATEMENTS E.g If I am feeling demotivated, then I will make sure to find a daily routine that structures my day.

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TORY S R U O Y ER OF T P A H C NEW A N I F L E URS O Y G N I D AN UNDERST

T E L K O O B N O I T I S N A TR