About Us

Rugby Football UnionThe Rugby Football Union Injured Players Foundation (IPF) is a charity that looks after 132 clients and also has a valuable role in the prevention and management of injuries. For many years now, and uniquely amongst sports National Governing Bodies, the Rugby Football Union has insured all amateur players for serious and catastrophic injuries. The insurance cover has increased over the years and those injured prior to 1995 would have received a far smaller sum while those injured, say, in the 1980s or before received very little indeed.

SPIREIn addition to this, SPIRE (Support Paraplegics in Rugby Enterprise) was created in 1993 by the then President of the RFU Ian Beer to help out when catastrophically injured players were having difficult times. Since its creation, the major donor has been the RFU, although donations have come from all levels of the game. The SPIRE capital fund has gradually been built up and invested to provide a sustainable income, which has been used to provide grants to the ex-players. Through SPIRE hundreds of grants have been made over the past 15 years.

As part of the Catastrophic Injury Review conducted by the RFU in consultation with all levels of the game, the way we care for our players has been changed. The Director of Finance, Nick Eastwood, has inspired this change with the creation of a dedicated team based at Twickenham within the Community Rugby Department, to provide support and help to all players; current, future and past who may be so injured. The team is lead by Dr. Mike England, (Medical Director), assisted by Dr. Karen Hood (Medical Manager), Dave Phillips (Injured Player Welfare Officer), Tim Bonnett (Client Support Executive), who was previously Executive Officer of SPIRE, Bethan Palmer (Serious Injuries Administrator) and Ian Jenkinson (Fundraiser and supporter development executive). The team forms the basis of the RFU Injured Players Foundation.

Rugby Football UnionSPIRE has changed its name and transferred its capital fund to the Injured Players Foundation, the charity being run by a new Board of Trustees. The new Board has been formed from the Trustees of SPIRE and new Trustees appointed by the RFU, which include experts in spinal rehabilitation. The Chairman is John Owen.

RFU Injured Players Foundation, a charitable company limited by guarantee, Company Number 6438698, whose registered office is at Rugby House, Twickenham Stadium, 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham TW2 7BA. Registered Charity no. 1122139