The 2025 season has been recognised at the Rugby Union Players’ Association (RUPA) 2025 Awards ceremony at the Fullerton Hotel in Sydney, with over 450 attendees present to recognise the efforts of Australia’s best on and off the field.
The event saw several new awards presented to recognise professional players across 15s, headlined by the Men’s and Women’s Medal for Excellence, which were awarded to Wallabies and Brumbies leader Allan Alaalatoa and Wallaroos captain, Siokapesi Palu.
Watch the 2025-2026 HSBC SVNS Series live and on demand via Stan Sport.
Palu was also honoured as a joint winner of the 2025 RUPA Leadership Award in recognition of her outstanding influence in Australian women’s rugby and off the field as a school educator in Canberra.
The Wallaroos backrower shared the Leadership Award with fellow Brumby James Slipper for his leadership over his 16-year career, becoming Australia’s most capped Test player and the first to reach 150 caps.
Fellow Wallaby and Western Force captain Jeremy Williams received the Community Service Award for his commitment to Rio’s Legacy.
Rio Legacy is a charity founded by Ryan Fowler dedicated to supporting children’s hospices and families navigating loss, serving as an ambassador since 2018.
“Visiting Bear Cottage with the Fowler family allowed me to witness firsthand the hospice in action, caring for families facing the immense challenge of living with a terminally ill child,” Williams saidupon accepting the award.
“This fuels my passion for Rio's Legacy, aiming to provide essential care and a second home for these families in need.”
Waratahs halfback Tatum Bird received the Robert Walters Academic Achievement Award for completing a double degree, while Queensland Reds lock Connor Vest received the inaugural Vocational Achievement Award, highlighting players pursuing meaningful vocational and industry-based development.
Vest, who retired from rugby earlier in the year, began his carpentry training before turning to professional rugby, remaining committed to his trade throughout his playing career and is now the owner and director of his own construction company, VestBuilt.
On the Sevens front, James Turner was recognised as the Men’s Rugby Sevens Players’ Player Award, while Faith Nathan & Mackenzie Davis shared the Women’s Players’ Player Award.
Completing the awards, Reds centre Dre Pakeho beat out eight competitors across the men’s and women’s game to win the Newcomer of the Year Award, emerging through the Reds Academy to become a regular starter throughout the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific and Super Rugby AUS seasons.
BDO MEN’S MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE
Winner: Allan Alaalatoa
Finalists:
- Tom Hooper
- Langi Gleeson
- Harry Wilson
- Triston Reilly
- Filipo Daugunu
- Tom Robertso
- Harry Potter
BUILDCORP WOMEN’S MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE
Winner: Siokapesi Palu
Finalists:
- Tabua Tuinakauvadra
- Faliki Pohiva
- Anneka Stephens
- Trilleen Pomare
- Georgina Friedrichs
- Eva Karpani
- Shalom Sauaso
ROBERT WALTERS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Winner: Tatum Bird
Finalists:
- Nicole Ledington
- Josh Nasser
- Corey Toole
- Hugh Sinclair
- Nick Champion de Crespigny
- Liam Wright
- Rory Scott
LION COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Winner: Jeremy Williams
Finalists:
- Fergus Lee Warner
- Harry McLaughlin-Phillips
- Tom Hooper
- Luke Reimer
- Brittany Merlo
- Ollie Sapsford
- Jack Debreczeni
CITATION LEGAL NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Dre Pakeho
Finalists:
- Lachlan Shaw
- Mackenzie Davis
- Jamie Adamson
- Manu’a Moleka
- Seneti Kilisimasi
- Aden Ekanayake
- Albert Alcock
- Ngamihi Monk
INAUGURAL VOCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Winner: Connor Vest
Finalists:
- Dylan Pietsch
- Lawson Creighton
- Gabrielle Petersen
- Trilleen Pomare
- Bree-Anna Browne
- Jack Debreczeni
INAUGURAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
Winner: James Slipper & Siokapesi Palu
Finalists:
- Harry Wilson
- Emily Chancellor
- Darcy Swain
- Anneka Stephens
- Lori Cramer
TAYLORS WINE WOMEN’S RUGBY SEVENS PLAYERS’ PLAYER AWARD
Winners: Faith Nathan & Mackenzie Davis
Finalists:
- Maddison Levi
- Kahli Henwood
- Sariah Paki
- Isabella Nasser
GALLAGHER MEN’S RUGBY SEVENS PLAYERS’ PLAYER AWARD
Winner: James Turner
Finalists:
- Matthew Gonzalez
- Henry Hutchison
- Aden Ekanayake
- Maurice Longbottom
- Jayden Blake
