Up Your Game for injured players
No fewer than 84 RFU match officials recently pulled on special edition IPF socks across 27 national league matches to support the RFU Injured Players Foundation’s ‘Up Your Game’ campaign.
The RFU Injured Players Foundation (IPF) is England Rugby’s official charity. It supports players at any level of the game who have sustained a life-changing injury such as a catastrophic spinal cord or acute, severe traumatic brain injury while playing rugby union in England. Thankfully, these types of injury remain extremely rare in rugby, but if they do happen, IPF support is available to help a player and family for life if needed.
The ‘Up Your Game’ campaign encourages rugby teams nationwide to host a fundraising match in aid of the IPF on a date to suit them. IPF socks can be bought as part of the event by clicking this link.
RFU Match Official Development Manager, Michael Patz, says: “Being part of the RFU team and game of rugby, we know the great work the IPF does. We wanted to help publicise that and support the charity, and most importantly the players it supports.
“Thankfully, it’s still highly uncommon for life-changing injuries to happen in the sport. However, if an incident does occur, referees and match officials are sometimes closest to it. So, the importance of making the game as safe as possible and looking after all participants really resonates with us. The IPF plays a vital role in doing that.
“It's also important that people in the rugby community know the IPF is there to provide support if ever needed. Wearing the IPF socks helped to create awareness and good talking points with spectators and players.”
It sounds like the socks may be here to stay, as Patz continues: “The plan was for us all to wear them on one weekend of the season as a show of support. However, some people have already used them two weeks running because they are so comfortable! Some of the Refs and Assistant Refs are even having their initials embroidered on their socks now!”
It’s not just RFU match officials who have been proudly sporting the stylish red socks in support of the IPF recently. Farnham Rugby Club has already raised over £500 doing so at their fundraising match, while the Midlands Barbarians will be kitted out in IPF footwear against Warwickshire Masons during their joint fundraising match for the IPF and The Matt Gallagher Foundation on 22nd November at Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club.
Midlands Barbarians’ Director of Rugby Lee Jones, who is also an IPF Trustee and Silhillians RUFC Chair says: “The Up Your Game campaign puts the spotlight on the incredible work the IPF carry out. Being a recipient of all the IPF has to offer following my own injury, myself and the lads just want to give something back and support the charity in whatever way we can.
“We’d encourage everyone to get involved, to find out more about who the IPF are and what they do, and understand that, as unlikely as it may be, if the worst happens, they’ve got your back’.”
Barnes RFC’s Camilla Barlow’s club is also fully behind ‘Up Your Game'. She says: “The IPF is such an important charity in the rugby world. It’s obviously one that players hope they will never need, but for those who do, it provides such invaluable support for them and for their family. It also helps players to stay connected with the game and lead as full a life as possible.”
The IPF’s support is wide-ranging and includes immediate support in hospital ensuring access to the best possible medical care, alongside emotional, practical and financial support for families to enable them to focus solely on the needs of their loved one.
Long-term support includes provision of equipment, home adaptations, support returning to education, work or voluntary roles and social activities and sporting pursuits as part of the Engage programme to build confidence and independence and encourage players to lead active lives.
The IPF also funds research projects to learn how people’s lives can be improved after injury, and how the risk of these injuries in rugby could be reduced.
