Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
The Rugby Players Association's (RPA) podcast returns! Join us to talk about the work of the RPA, and the wider sports agenda.
Hello, and welcome to this edition of the RPA Player's Voice podcast. At the start of November, the RPA Players Board voted for their new chair and vice chair, and we're delighted to say that Bath winger Ruaridh McConnochie has been elected RPA chair with Freddie Clarke of Gloucester elected vice chair. We've managed to grab some time with both Ruaridh and Freddie to see how they're feeling following the election and what their aims are ahead of the upcoming season. Ruaridh , congratulations. RPA chair, how do you feel?
Ruaridh McConnochie:Yeah. Pretty obvious. Pretty excited. I think it was yeah. I was I was thinking over the summer about whether I knowing that, Beef and Harry Arrington are both stepping down both retiring, so stepping down from their roles.
Ruaridh McConnochie:I was, yeah, had a bit of thinking to do before I sort of, yeah, put my head down and gone, yeah. I'm gonna put my name forward. So just, yeah, very happy I've got it, and excited for this next season.
Stephen Thomas:What, I mean, what excites you most about this opportunity?
Ruaridh McConnochie:I think where we are at as a game, I think firstly for me is I've always the reason why I went for a rep is the same reason I went for the chairman role. It's it's to hope to leave the game in a better place than it was when I started playing. And and when I eventually retire, the actually, the game's in a better place and getting better and better each year. And with where the RPA is, I think, making England as attractive as possible for people to come play rugby in. And that that is that, obviously, there's there's people from the outside who look in and look at wages and and the teams they play against, but also the player welfare, the stuff alongside that, almost a small print that you don't see from the outside, that just makes it a much more enjoyable place to play.
Stephen Thomas:Did you speak to Beef and and Harry in the run up to to this? Have you spoken to them since it was announced? I mean yeah. Did you yeah. Have you get any tips from them for the next year?
Stephen Thomas:Yeah. Yeah. Spoke spoken to spoken to Beef
Ruaridh McConnochie:a couple of times. Just, yeah, getting lots of tips in terms of just little nuances that where I've never shared meetings and stuff before. That that's all new to me. I think, actually, you you put all the other things aside. Like, I I know that's part of the role.
Ruaridh McConnochie:That's part of the the same part of the role as a player rep. But, actually, when you're in those meetings and, like, things like timekeeping with stuff like that, that's major important. I I think probably the added pressure of knowing that you are helping make decisions that can, can hopefully help our players and members, everyday lives as rugby players.
Stephen Thomas:How does it feel knowing that your peers at Bath and overall, you know, trust you to represent all of them?
Ruaridh McConnochie:I mean, yes. It's humbling. I think, I think I've always sort of tried to live my life and I live my life as a rugby player, through other people and trying to help other people where I can. I've always tried to be my genuine self. So I think the fact that they've put their trust in me to help push our game forward, is, yeah, is a massive honor.
Ruaridh McConnochie:And and, hopefully, I can I can do it proud, in 12 months' time when I look back at at the year and go, yeah? I I gave it my best and hopefully that sort of left my position in a better place.
Stephen Thomas:How did your teammates respond to the news or your friends and family? Are they like ribbing or or just oh, many congratulations.
Ruaridh McConnochie:Yeah. Yeah. A few mister chairman sort of thing when you walk into a room just to take the mic. But, no, all all really supportive. And and since sort of day 1 as I was a rep where I said, look.
Ruaridh McConnochie:This is my first time doing something like this. Like, I'll I wanna take the support from the senior players that have been in the game a while, guys that have been part of other player unions around the world and sort of share their experiences, what went well, what didn't go well, and and what they'd improve if they could from the outside. It, I think, has been the main learning point for me. I know the the Irish players union doing really well, and chatting to Ross Maloney when he came along to Bath this year, has been really helpful. So, yeah, just basically trying to lean lean on others as much as possible because, like I said, it was my 1st year as a rep last year and now 1st year as a chairman this year.
Ruaridh McConnochie:So it's it's not thinking that I have to do everything on my own, actually using all the experience and wealth and knowledge around me in the club, but also in the union, as much as I can.
Stephen Thomas:And you you touched on it a few minutes ago, but, you know, looking at the the upcoming year, what would you say your main aims are for the year and how, you know yeah. What would your aims are for the upcoming year?
Ruaridh McConnochie:I think the excitement behind, us being a signature on on this PGP, I think, is is huge for us. I think, like, the importance of us having more of a voice and to keep pushing that as much as possible is probably the main goal. I think making us as heard as possible, in the big decisions at the top table. And that's obviously in the past. We've been able to voice our opinions, but we might not necessarily have had that opportunity to really make those calls.
Ruaridh McConnochie:And now to be able to sit in a room with the heads of our few heads of PRL, I think, is a huge chance for us as players to make our mark and and shape where we want the game to go in the future and where we want the player welfare side of things to go. There's there's obviously a lot of a lot of the stuff along concussion. At the moment in the news, it's been highlighted, but, actually, what do we see as players, as being a main benefactor for us, in terms of getting the best out of us, but also limiting the risks of of the concussion at the same time? And that's that's just an example. But, yeah, I think hit having our voices heard and having the the opportunity to really vote on things and and put our foot in the ground and say this is this is what we stand for, I think, is the main thing I'm excited for.
Stephen Thomas:And with the demands of rugby increasing and how you know, it's quite evident now that the demands for, you know, looking after players' mental health and overall well-being is at the forefront of of everything. Is that something that you're really gonna drive forward this year as well?
Ruaridh McConnochie:Yeah. Definitely. I think it's it's always it's it's always been something in in my mind in terms of where where we've been. I was lucky enough in England 7s have a great sort of, sports psychologist there, and it sort of brought it to the fore to me. And I think just the the emotional roller coaster that we go through as players.
Ruaridh McConnochie:I don't think there's many other jobs like it where you can go in 1 week and be as high as you can after playing well, winning. You can go in the next week being dropped. I think every Monday to almost be told you're you're good or you're not good at your job is is so unique. And and to know that and to have that emotional burden as a player, it's it's important to to realize that, but also important to to try and get as much help as we can for all the players out there.
Stephen Thomas:And, obviously, with this this, being on the board, you've got the premiership rugby players and also, you know, the England Red Roses and GB Sevens. How excited are you to work with those 2, those player reps and those 2? Yeah. Yeah. No.
Stephen Thomas:It's incredibly exciting, and
Ruaridh McConnochie:I think you look at the growth in the women's game and and know how much it's gonna keep growing in the future. I think it's so important for us to hear their voices and hear their concerns every month kind of thing every week. So it's it's it's cool. It's it's very easy to get caught up in your own little bubble as a player in your own club and go weeks weeks for your play, actually, to sort of broaden your horizon and look across the league, look across the women's game, look across the sevens game, I think it's it's it's so exciting because there's a huge opportunity in both sevens and and the women's game over the next few years to really try and push forward growth and try and push it as much as possible. So it's more in the public eye and more so more potential of outside investors coming in to grow even further to help with the audience.
Ruaridh McConnochie:Because you look at the tickets that are being sold out already for women's World Cup, and it's you know, it's only going one way, and it's growing. So how can we keep pushing that and keep pushing that narrative? I think it's really important.
Stephen Thomas:Freddie Clark is your vice chair.
Ruaridh McConnochie:Yeah.
Stephen Thomas:I I didn't realize until I didn't realize that you two actually knew each other or properly all grew up together. You know, are you looking forward to working with him, in the next year?
Ruaridh McConnochie:Yeah. I am. Yeah. I've go I don't know when when it first started, me and Fred. I think it was England students in either 2030 or 2014.
Ruaridh McConnochie:I can't remember the year exactly. But we played England students together, and then he was training with the sevens at the same time I was on trial. And so we've always known each other from that day. I remember I think he then went to London Scottish, and I was living around the corner, so I went to watch a couple games. So to be sort of working alongside each other all these years later, I think it's quite cool.
Ruaridh McConnochie:So, yeah, we we know each other well. We know, I think it's it's gonna be an easy easy to work with each other, and it's it's not we we've got a relationship where I think he could challenge me, I could challenge him, but we know it's both for the right reasons. So, no, it's it's it's really exciting. And I'm, yeah, I'm glad I'm glad Freddie's alongside me in this journey.
Stephen Thomas:You both have taken different routes into the game. How much of that are you gonna be taking into this, you know, different experiences to bring into into the RPA?
Ruaridh McConnochie:Yes. It's a huge amount. I think that's probably the that was probably the siding factor in in why I went for this role. I I kinda thought I was like, oh, yeah. I have got all these experiences.
Ruaridh McConnochie:I don't know I don't know the last sort of chair or player rep that's been in the sevens, the uni system, and then managed to go England fifteens and then the club system for how, like, however long I've been in it. And, yeah, I I think I've gotta use like, it'd be silly of me not to try and lean on those experiences for for the good of the game and stuff like that. So it's I think the fact that I've almost had feet in all those camps, I mean, helps me massively. And saying as Fred, like, he's done a good good stint in the championship before he's got his prem, opportunity. So that's gonna help him so much more in terms of sort of that leveling ground where he knows what it's like in the champ.
Ruaridh McConnochie:He also knows the difference in the step up of the prem and and what the champ maybe needs to look like if it is gonna be fully competitive again and get that promotion relegation back on back on the cards. So, yeah, I think it's great. I think, hopefully, we can both use our experiences for the best, and that's that's definitely what we're gonna gonna aim to do.
Stephen Thomas:Freddie, let's start. Congratulations. How is how does it feel to be elected vice chair of the RPA?
Freddie Clarke:Yeah. Very happy. I mean, I was I was conscious. I've been part of the RPA now for for the past 9 seasons, and, I've been using them. I did my MBA to the RPA with the gain line stuff.
Freddie Clarke:So, yeah, the RPA has has played a significant part in certainly my off field stuff, which so I'm very excited to be elected as vice chair and and try and keep all the good work that's been done to keep moving it forward.
Stephen Thomas:So, yeah, that touches on my next thing is what what inspired you to to to put yourself forward for this role, and how does it how does it feel knowing that, you know, the the the fellow reps voted for you to to take this role?
Freddie Clarke:Yes. You know, very privileged or honored that they all vote for me and humbled. But, yeah, like I said, I was very close to our vice chair Harry, back at Gloucester for the last previous couple of years. We're actually in lift share. So everything that was spoken about, sort of that vice chair and chairman role, I mean, I'm sure it was confidential, but I was able to get a good insight there and be on the sounding board with him.
Freddie Clarke:So we had I was part of a lot of the discussions with him, when he was bringing him into the club. So naturally, got a little bit of a a probably more of an insight than the average player, which certainly and he suggested go for the role even though it was being my first year as a rep. He suggested go for the vice chair. You know enough about the game. And, yeah, I was just really excited.
Freddie Clarke:I sort of threw my hat in the ring. I was well aware of it being my 1st year, but, you know, sometimes, you know, I I I believe that the certain set of skills or to to to be a good player's voice. So, yeah, I was I was looking forward to to taking the challenge.
Stephen Thomas:And you said you spoke to Harry about it as he sent his best wishes to you since he, well, since you got the role?
Freddie Clarke:Yes. He has. Yeah. Well, he was very in the loop. I sort of go,
Stephen Thomas:shall I put my name
Freddie Clarke:in that? He was like, yeah. Go on. You'll you'll be good at it. So I took his advice on and and, yeah, thankfully, I've I've been voted in.
Stephen Thomas:So what specific areas are you passionate about focusing on in your year in charge? Well
Freddie Clarke:yes. So maintaining, I think, the PG the the players' agreement that we've recently agreed is is huge, for the players. I mean, no. A lot of the players don't probably understand how big of a step forward that will be, having a player's voice in the room for future discussions and future decisions that are gonna be made. But a big thing for me is continuing putting the players welfare at the forefront, of everything we do in relation to sort of training matches, welfare with our brain injury and head injury stuff.
Freddie Clarke:That's certainly the big part. But, yeah, my main focus is is making sure that the player welfare is is at the paramount, and players are getting the right rest, the right playing time, and and the right opportunity, without feeling like they have to turn up, taking the decision away from them to make it to the best interest of them both on and off the field.
Stephen Thomas:And and, obviously, your chair well, the chair is gonna be Rory. Do you know Rory already? What and and how do you see the pair of you working together?
Freddie Clarke:Yes. Very much looking forward to working with Rory. We played student rugby back in the day, and believe it or not, I actually played a little bit. I was in England setting in 7 setup for a few years, which most people don't believe.
Stephen Thomas:But you you tore
Freddie Clarke:it hard. Yeah. Yeah. Guilty. Guilty.
Freddie Clarke:So, yeah, I know a lot from my student days. So we've come up through the the same route, which back in those days necessarily wasn't necessarily in the the natural route progression. We sort of both didn't get put into an academy at 18 years old and went to university and came in through that route. So, yeah, we've known each other. We've obviously had a similar direction.
Freddie Clarke:I mean, I say similar. I I I won't put myself in his category. He's even to a world cup, been selected for 2 international teams being Scotland and England. But, yeah, I'm really looking forward to working with Rory. And I think that was one of the main to sit another decision as to why I put my, put my hat in the ring because of my relationship with Rory.
Stephen Thomas:And then would the demands of professional rugby be increasing for a variety of reasons? You know, it's a key thing for you to progress on on the board to progress, thinking about, you know, the overall well-being of players and, you know, their mental health.
Freddie Clarke:Yes. Yes. Hugely. I think, you know, you know, that part of the game certainly being like I said, I've been a member of 9 years, certainly the last pretty much since COVID, the the amount of stuff that's been accessible for players regarding that off the field stuff is is, you know, is everywhere around the club. Whether you wanna talk to people, whether you wanna keep it to yourself and talk to someone outside the club, I think all those avenues are there, which is something that may well have been around for a long time, but not as accessible as it is now.
Stephen Thomas:And just a a a last one, Freddie, is what was the reaction being like from teammates, fellow players, and things like that? But they've been sending you good wishes.
Freddie Clarke:Yes. Very much so. In terms of players, it's the classic sort of all the oh, vice chair. Oh, that all that sort of nonsense. But, yeah, they're all pretty happy with me.
Freddie Clarke:My mom is I I feel like my mom googles my name every other day to find out what's been said or who's been sent. So she's very, yeah, she sends she's had friends message her about this sort of stuff, but sort of people outside of the rugby circles as well who have messaged her, which is she's more more impressed about being like, oh, you've you can maybe use your degree or something or whatnot. So, yeah, it's been it's been very good. I've had a lot of messages from people, sort of my ex RPA reps who who who knew me at sort of 21 years old being like, bloody hell, you believe it, aye? You know, fuck this chair.
Freddie Clarke:So, yeah, a lot of people have reached out and messaged me, but, yeah, amongst the club, the boys are I mean, the rugby players only really get excited over food, really. So, for them to get excited over vice chair, I wasn't expecting a complete election of excitement from them all. But, yeah, they're pretty happy for me.
Stephen Thomas:Thank you so much to Ruaridh and Freddie for their time today. It was great listening to them, and we're all really excited to see how they get on. If you have a topic you want to listen to on The Players' Voice podcast, please email info @ therpa.co.uk. Bye for now.