The stellar season of Queensland Reds and Wallabies standout Fraser McReight has continued with him being awarded the RUPA Medal for Excellence.
The non-stop flanker was recognised in Sydney today at the Rugby Players Lunch which celebrated outstanding achievements on and off the field by Australia’s rugby players.
The Medal for Excellence has special significance as it is voted on by all players in the Rugby Union Players’ Association (RUPA).
The scope of the award reflects both McReight’s contributions on the field and off it to the growth of Australian rugby this year.
His superb 80-minute performance for the Wallabies in the win over England at Twickenham and another five-star showing in the narrow loss to Ireland helped shape the recent revival discussions going on around Australian rugby.
The Medal of Excellence follows his gongs as Australia’s Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year and the Reds Player of the Year for which he won the Pilecki Medal.
Both those 2024 honours repeated his achievements of 2023.
Reds co-captain Liam Wright, Australia’s first Test skipper against Wales in July, was amongst the Medal of Excellence nominees with Jake Gordon, Tom Wright, Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson and Rob Valetini.
Reds duo Carola Kreis and Shalom Sauaso were both nominees for the Women’s Medal for Excellence.
NSW Waratahs and Wallaroos forward Atasi Lafai won the Women’s Medal for Excellence.
Maddison Levi was a clear winner of the Women’s Rugby Sevens Players’ Player Award.
The award was voted on by the entire Sevens playing squad. Queenslanders Bella Nasser and Teagan Levi were also amongst the nominees.
Recently-retired Nick Malouf won the Men’s Rugby Sevens Players’ Player Award. As captain, Malouf led the team to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
ACT Brumbies backrower Charlie Cale was winner of The Newcomer of the Year Award for a significant impact in his first season of professional rugby.
Reds winger Tim Ryan, teenaged Reds centre Sauaso and Australian sevens flyer Kaitlin Shave were amongst the nominees.
Andy Muirhead and Ed Kennedy were named the RUPA Academic Excellence Award winners.
They demonstrated exceptional commitment to their education while excelling in professional rugby. This prestigious honour recognises the discipline, determination, and time management required to balance the demands of elite sport with academic and vocational pursuits.
Brumbies winger Muirhead, founder of Yara, provides training and career opportunities in civil construction for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals. Yara is also partnered with the Brumbies to support the First Nations Pathways program.
Former Brumbies forward Kennedy holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) and a Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning. He was admitted to the University of Tasmania Roll of Excellence for 2024. Kennedy has worked in career exploration, resume support, and interview preparation, securing a position as Investment Assistant at Escala, after retiring from rugby in mid-2024.
Liam Wright, Ian Prior, Tiarah Minns, and Ethan Dobbins were the other nominees.
The Community Service Award honoured Brumbies prop Blake Schoupp for his dedication to the rugby community through youth mentorship programs, rugby clinics, and mental health initiatives. Reds flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips was amongst the nominees.
