About Oceania Rugby

The Oceania Rugby Player Welfare Committee supports the organisation to:

• Benchmark current Player Welfare status within the Regional Association using the spreadsheet tool provided by World Rugby.
• Ensure Regional Competition Player Welfare standards are appropriate, adhered to and reflected in Tournament Operations Documentation.
• Identify Training gaps within immediate Care Provision for Regional Committees.
• Contribute to the planning, promotion and delivery of World Rugby's Injury Prevention Programmes (e.g. Rugby Ready/Activate/Tackle Ready)
• Support Workforce Development in the player welfare strand
• Encourage and review the development and implementation of annual player welfare plans with each Union
• Contribute to the formation of World Rugby's Regional Player Welfare Research Centres and their sub-committees which will steer the research centres/
• Promote the use of the World Rugby Injury Surveillance System by their constituent member unions.
• Promote World Rugby's Anti-Doping education within the region.
• Alert World Rugby of any non-compliant artificial pitches in use within the region.
• Act as a communications conduct for Player Welfare matters between Unions their Regional Association and World Rugby.
• Report on Player Welfare progress and issues within the region twice per year through World Rugby's Regional Player Welfare Forum (one of World Rugby's Medical Working Groups) which subsequently reports into World Rugby's Medical Commission Conference.
• Disseminate information from MCC and Regional Player Welfare Forum back to the Regional Association and its member unions.
• Report on Player Welfare progress and issues into the Regional Association's Executive Committee on a regular basis.

The Oceania Rugby Player Welfare Committee works closely with the Regional Training Manager, Member Unions and World Rugby in achieving the above.

Nominations are received for the Committee which is duly appointed by the Oceania Rugby Executive Committee every two years.

• Dr. Warren McDonald, Chair (AUS) Union Chief Medical Officer Representative
• Karen Rasmussen (NZL) Medical Training and Education Representative
• Dr. Shaun Mauiliu (SAM) Chief Medical Officer
• Michael Magriplis (AUS) Coaching and Education Representative
• Jennifer Khalik (FIJ) Medical Education Representative
• Tui Komiti (SAM) Referee Education Representative
• Hale-T-Pole (Players Representative) CEO, Pacific Rugby Players
• Dr Mike Hislop (World Rugby) Research Representative
• Frank Puletua (Oceania Rugby) General Manager
• Isabel Grondin (World Rugby) Medical Education Manager
• Wayne Schuster (Oceania Rugby) Competition Manager, Competition Representative nominee
• Talemo Waqa (Oceania Rugby) Regional Training Manager
• Miri Tuinona (Oceania Rugby) Secretary