The Irish Rugby Union Players’ Association is to extend its services to all past professional rugby players from next month. The IRUPA Clubhouse will extend the reach of services offered by the organisation to as many as 500 past professional players. It will offer programmes ranging from career advice and education to personal development, financial planning and wellbeing.
Details of the IRUPA Clubhouse were revealed earlier this month at the Sport for Business 2020 Showcase, drawing a positive response from the businesses present. “Impressed with the clear vision, the strategy and the new development for past players,” said one. “A precise focus on one single area,” said another.
The public announcement yesterday was accompanied by the results of a survey conducted among 79 former professional players which revealed that 31% did not feel control of their lives after rugby, 24% to be dissatisfied with their overall wellbeing and only a quarter to be satisfied with their career after retiring.
It has been pointed out that sport is a reversal of the norm in that it is the only activity from which you retire before having to go out to build a career. The aim of the IRUPA Clubhouse is to offer support especially during the critical first two years after retirement.
That period comes earlier than might be expected as well with the survey also revealing that the average length of a professional career is just seven years.
“The survey results really justify the increased focus we’ve placed on our Player Services Programme over the last 12 to 24 months,” said IRUPA CEO Omar Hassanein. “We now have four provincially based advisors delivering a very structured programme of services, and are now in a position to extend these same offerings to all past professional players.”
“We now have more than 75% of our membership undertaking education of some sort, which will help in their transition after retirement from the game at its highest level.”
The IRUPA Member Helpline will also be available to the members of the Clubhouse, allowing them to better cope with the psychological impacts of retirement and the difficulties that can come with trying to rediscover their identity. It will host a range of social and business events, the first of which being the official Clubhouse launch taking place on November 16th in advance of the Ireland v Australia match.”
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