Former Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards and his son have launched Players Platform, aiming to help players below the elite level showcase their talents globally.
The initiative, spearheaded by William, aims to offer players holistic opportunities, whether for performance reasons or to experience different countries and new cultures. The website is active, and an app is imminent, resembling Tinder’s interface for scrolling through player profiles.
Speaking to the UK’s The Telegraph, Richards emphasises the platform’s role in providing opportunities for late developers and facilitating experiences for players seeking to broaden their horizons.
“It’s not a one-stop shop in terms of trying to promote people who are late developers. It’s about giving everyone an opportunity to do what they want to do and to be what they want to be.
“If you want to travel the world, so be it. If you want to be a better player then it might give you the opportunity to play at a higher level. People can use us as a vehicle to experience life.
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“You come onto our website and send off messages to registered clubs and you can attach a highlights reel.
“There are eight million registered rugby players throughout the world. And not everyone is happy. There are so many people in Europe looking for opportunities abroad and there are so many people in South America.
“It won’t revolutionise rugby, but it will give people an opportunity to experience things they’ve never experienced before, and make things a little easier for them. Rugby is a global sport, it needs something like this.
“Why not try and work your way around the world playing rugby, for example? That’s what we’re about, opening up the world.”
Photo: George Wood/Getty Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
