Mark Gerrard, Pat McCabe, Stephen Moore, David Pocock and Nathan Sharpe have been named as the finalists for the 2011 Rugby Union Players’ Association ‘Medal for Excellence’.
The winner of the RUPA ‘MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE’ will be announced at the RUPA Awards Luncheon, next Wednesday 14 December at the Ivy in Sydney. The only national Super Rugby and Wallaby players’ player award will be one of four awards presented on the day, before an anticipated crowd of over three hundred.
Voting for the ‘Medal for Excellence’ closed on Monday, with every professional player in Australia asked to vote on a 3-2-1 basis for a fellow player who they believe excelled on and off the field in 2011. Players were asked to consider their peers achievements in areas of: performance, leadership, consistency and discipline plus their contribution to charitable work, vocational skills and their commitment to the development of the game.
The luncheon will also include the presentation of the winner of the RUPA ‘NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR’, which Pocock, McCabe, Berrick Barnes, Ben Lucas and Laurie Weeks have won in the past.
The finalists for this award in 2011 are Colby Faingaa (Brumbies), Nick Phipps (Rebels) and Ben Tapuai (Reds).
Two new awards will also be presented this year; the RUPA ‘ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT’ and the RUPA ‘FOUNDATION COMMUNITY SERVICE’ Awards.
Finalists for these awards include Beau Robinson, Nathan Charles, David Pocock, Adam Freier, Ben Mowen (all for the Community Service award) and Matt Hodgson, Greg Holmes, Jarrod Saffy, Julian Salvi and Phil Waugh (for the Academic Achievement Award).
“In 2011, the RUPA membership has made a significant contribution to the game in Australia with successes in the Super Rugby competition, Tri-Nations and reaching the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup.’ said RUPA CEO Greg Harris.
“However, a player’s life as a professional is about more than just making tackles and winning matches, it’s about preparing for a life after footy and giving back to those less fortunate.
This event acknowledges these successes and the achievements which the players have also made with respect to their own personal development through education and community involvement.’