MESSAGE FROM CEO - JUSTIN HARRISON (#770)
I’malsopleasedtowelcomeEllaSquireandCaitlinBassetttotheRUPAteamasournew PlayerDevelopmentManagersfortheQueenslandRedsandWesternForcerespectively Bothbringexceptionalexperience,insight,andenthusiasmforplayereducation, wellbeinganddevelopment.TheiradditionfurtherstrengthensRUPA’snetworkof dedicatedstaffwhoworktirelesslytoensureourmembersreceivethesupport,guidance, andopportunitiestheydeserve
Aswewrapuptheyear,Iwanttoacknowledgeandthankourplayers,staff,partners,and supportersforyourunwaveringcommitmentandbeliefinwhatwedo.Welookforwardto buildingonthemomentumof2025aswecontinuetoshapeasustainable,player-driven futureforrugbyinAustralia. Keepwell
WearepleasedtoannouncetheappointmentoftwonewPlayerDirectorstotheRUPABoard: NickChampiondeCrespignyandKahliHenwood.
Nick Champion de Crespigny - Western Force Player Director
NickjoinedtheRUPABoardinAugust2025.Bornand raisedinCanberra,heplayedforSydneyUniversity, winningtwoShuteShieldtitlesandearningSUFCFirst GradeBestForwardthreetimes.Nickthenspentthree yearswithCastresinFrance,highlightedbyaTop14final atStadedeFrance,beforejoiningtheWesternForcefor the2025season,leadingtohisWallabiesdebutagainst theBritish&IrishLions.Offthefield,NickholdsaBachelor ofEconomicsfromtheUniversityofSydney,andis pursuingaMastersofPropertyDevelopmentatUTS
expertisewithaGraduateCertificateinCounselling.
EllaSquires–QueenslandRedsPlayerDevelopment Manager
EllaleadsthePlayerDevelopmentprogramatthe QueenslandReds,championingtheholisticgrowthan wellbeingofeliterugbyathletes.Withabackgroundin athletesupportandinnovationfromQUTSport,she bringsaforward-thinking,evidence-basedapproach careertransition,personaldevelopment,andplayer wellbeing.Ellaiscommittedtocreatingenvironments whereathletescanthrivebothonandoffthefield
Overtwodays,RUPAbroughttogetherallPlayerDevelopmentManagersandstaffforthe 2025BeyondTheAdvantageLineWorkshop,designedtostrengthenalignmentacrossthe gameanddevelopstrategicsolutionstoensurethatplayersreceivethebestpossible support.
Theworkshopexplored:
AthleticVentures:Athlete-ledinvestmentopportunitiesandeducationalpathways beyondrugby.
KeyPlayerSurveyMetrics&StrategicAlignment:usingdatatocreateconsistency acrossprograms.
MentalHealthStrategy:buildingstrongerwellbeingsystemstosupportplayers.
Wewereprivilegedtohearfrom:
DaveOliver(Survivors&MatesSupportNetwork)onsupportingmalesurvivorsand safespaces
Skooshonsoftwaresolutionstobettertrackplayerdevelopment.
ScottMurphy(RugbyAU)onaligninghigh-performanceplanningwithwellbeing data.
Acrosstwodaysofsharedlearning,theworkshopreinforcedourcollectivecommitment tosupportingplayers,notjustintheirrugbycareers,butinlifebeyondthegame.The sessionssparkedmeaningfuldiscussions,strengthenedteamcohesion,andequipped ourstaffwiththetoolsandinsightsneededtomakealastingimpactontheplayer journey.AhighlightwaswelcomingnewPDMsCaitlinBassett(WesternForce)andElla Squires(QueenslandReds)totheteam.
Eventslikethesearearevitalplatformsforathletestoconnectwithindustryleaders,build confidenceandequipplayerswiththeskillstothrivebeyondtheirplayingcareers.A specialacknowledgmentgoestoRed’sPlayerDevelopmentManager,EllaSquires,whose supportandcommitmenthasmadeaprofoundimpactonplayers’personaland professionalgrowth.Herworkensuresathletesarenotonlypreparedforlifeafterrugby butareempoweredtoexplorenewinterestavenuesandmakeinformedchoicesabout theirfutures.
TheQueenslandRedsCareerNetworkingEventexemplifiesRUPA’scommitmenttoholistic playerdevelopment,creatingpathwaysforplayerstotransitionsuccessfullyintocareers, education,andentrepreneurialventuresafterrugby Welookforwardtocontinuingthese conversationsandinitiativesandsupportingplayerstobuildsuccessonandoffthefield.
Whetheryou’reaprofessionalrugbyunionplayer,coach,orsomeonemanagingvariable income,budgetingandforecastingareessentialtoolstohelpyoustayfinanciallysecure andplanforlong-termsuccess.Rugbycareersareunique exciting,butoften unpredictable.Withtherightfinancialgameplan,youcansetyourselfupforsuccess bothonandoffthefield.
Whyitmattersforrugbyunionplayers
Rugbyunionplayersfaceuniquefinancialchallenges: irregularincomefromprizemoney,sponsorships,seasonalcontracts,and promotionalevents
shortcareerspans,typicallypeakinginearlyadulthood highupfrontcostsfortraining,travel,coaching,andgear post-careertransitionsintocoaching,business,media,orcommentary
Withoutasolidfinancialplan,it’seasytolosetrackofspendingormissoutonfuture opportunities.Budgetingandforecastingarekeytohelpingplayerssetfinancialgoals, trackcashflow,planforcontingencies,andmakeinformeddecisions.
Bestpracticeforpersonalbudgeting
Justaseverysuccessfulteamreliesonawell-craftedplaybook,yourfinancialwellbeing dependsonathoughtful,flexibleplan.It’sessentialtoapproachyourmoney managementwiththesamedisciplineandstrategyyoubringtothegame,andwe’ve outlinedthekeyelementsbelow.
Knowyourincomedrivers
Identifyallsourcesofincomeincludingmatchfees,bonuses,sponsorships, endorsements,andbusinessventures.
Setcleargoals
Defineshort-termgoalslikesavingfortravelandlong-termgoalslikebuyingahomeor investinginarugbyacademy
Buildaflexibleforecast
Modeldifferentscenariossuchasinjuryorcontractchangesusinghistoricaland expectedincome
Trackandadjustregularly
Compareactualincomeandexpensestoforecastsandadjustspendingorsaving habitsaccordingly.
Seekprofessionalguidance
Consultfinancialadvisersfamiliarwiththerugbyindustryfortax,investment,and retirementplanning.
Managingsponsorshipincome
Sponsorshipscanbeamajorincomesource,buttheycomewithuniqueconsiderations: understandtheterms:knowwhat’sexpectedandthecontractduration planfortax:setasideaportionofeachpaymentfortaxes. separatebusinessandpersonal:considerabusinessentityformanagingmultiple deals.
diversify:buildaportfolioofpartnershipsalignedwithyourbrand saveforthefuture:allocatesponsorshipincometolong-termsavingsorinvestments.
Real-lifeexamples
Toshowhowtheseprinciplesworkinpractice,herearesomereal-lifescenariosfacedby rugbyplayersatdifferentstagesoftheircareers.
Aseniorplayernearingretirementusesforecastingtoplanatransitioninto coaching,coveringlivingexpensesduringretraining.
Atrackrugbyplayerwithamajorsponsorsetsupatrustandinvestsina rehabilitationclinicforpost-careerincome.
Ayoungplayerbudgetsprizemoneytosaveforuniversityandmanagetrainingand travelcosts.
Aplayerwithaseason-endinginjuryusesaflexibleforecastandemergencyfundto coverexpensesduringrecovery.
Actionitemssummary
Tohelpyouputthesestrategiesintoaction,usethischecklistasaquickreferencefor buildingandmaintainingyourfinancialgameplan.
Listallsourcesofincomeandestimatemonthly/annualtotals. Setclearshort-termandlong-termfinancialgoals. Createaflexibleforecastwithbest-caseandworst-casescenarios Trackincomeandexpensesregularly;adjustasneeded. Consultafinancialadviserwithsportsindustryexperience. Reviewsponsorshipcontractsandunderstandallobligations. Setasidefundsfortaxonsponsorshipandprizeincome Considerestablishingabusinessentityformanagingsponsorships. Diversifysponsorshipsandpartnerships. Allocateaportionofallincometolong-termsavingsandinvestments. Planforpost-careertransitionsearly(coaching,business,media,etc) Buildanemergencyfundforunexpectedevents(injury,contractchanges).
Needsomehelpwithbudgetingandforecasting?
Bytakingaproactiveapproachtobudgetingandplanning,youcannavigatethefinancial upsanddownsofarugbycareerwithconfidence settingyourselfupforsecurityand successbothduringyourplayingdaysandlongafter.
BDO’sspecialistsportingindustryadvisersareheretohelp Ourteamworkwith professionalathletesregularlyandcanhelpyoutakecontrolofyourfinancialfuture. Contactusbyemailingwilliam.tuffley@bdo.com.au.
TheBrainHealthService,fundedbyWorldRugby,hasbeendesignedusingindependent, scientificallyprovenexaminationtechniques.Formerplayersfilloutaninitial questionnaireandthenhaveanonlineconsultationwithatrainedbrainhealth practitionerwhowillidentifyanysignsthattheindividualmayrequireareferraltowards specialistcare.Theserviceisavailabletoanymaleandfemaleretiredplayerswhohave competedatanInternationalorSuperRugbylevel
ACADEMY OF TRADING
To access, email ananyab@rupa.com.au
Access to 6 counselling sessions per issue from Rugby AU’s Partner, TELUS Health
Download the TELUS Health One app and contact ananyab@rupa.com.au to access login details
To access, email ananyab@rupa.com.au
ananyab@rupa.com.au
