RPA PDP BENEFITS LONDON IRISH PLAYERS

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London Irish players have been engaged in a number of activities outside of rugby as part of the RPA Personal Development Programme.

Recently the RPA ran two activities, the first of which was a one week course to gain theory, practice and exposure to real time markets at the London Academy of Trading. Conor Gilsenan, Tom Fowlie, Dave Porecki, Mike Coman, Ben Ransom, Petrus Du Plesis and Greig Tonks visited their Tower Hill base. A visit to Sky Sports News’ studio in Isleworth was the other activity arranged by the RPA, with Ransom, Alex Lewington, Sebastian De Chaves and Scott Steele in attendance. The quartet attended planning meeting and spent time in various departments learning about each of their roles.

Last month, Tommy Bell, Ollie Hoskins, Josh McNally, Ben Franks and Jake Schatz were introduced to the world of coffee at The London School of Coffee in Kingston. Introduced to coffee’s origins and history, the players were then given a two and a half hour barista training session.

Josh McNally said: “I know how important it is to have a plan in place for when rugby comes to an end, it can be a short career so we’ve got to be ready for what’s next. It’s great that the RPA can provide opportunities for us to explore our options whilst we are still playing via one-to-one support and group insight opportunities. It is also important in helping us to achieve a healthy life balance and keeping us busy on our days off!”   

Kim Johnson-Pool, RPA Senior Personal Development Manager, said: “It’s really important for players to gain insight into as many industries as they can while they are still playing, with a view to ensuring a smooth transition away from rugby at the end of their playing careers. “It’s vital for players to have one eye on their next career and take advantage of the opportunities presented to them, so it’s brilliant to see so many players engaging in the Personal Development Programme.”

Article courtesy of London Irish.