- 20 February 2026
Summary: Professional rugby player and Chair of the RPA Men’s Rugby Board, Max Lahiff reflects on why governance matters to players, how it shapes decisions on welfare and sustainability, and why strengthening governance capability is essential to the future of the game.
I’ve spent most of my career focused on performance: scrummaging technique, physical conditioning, preparation and teamwork. Like most professional rugby players, my instinct has always been to concentrate on what happens on the pitch.
But in recent years, through my involvement with the Rugby Players Association (RPA) and now as Chair of the RPA Men’s Rugby Board, I’ve come to understand something just as important to the future of the game: governance.
What the RPA Men’s Rugby Board does
The RPA exists to represent, support and protect professional players. At the heart of that is the voice of the players, making sure decisions about the game, welfare and working conditions are informed by the people who live it every day.
The Men’s Rugby Board is made up of player representatives from across the Premiership. We have a specific focus on rugby, welfare and wellbeing, and we carry responsibilities delegated by the wider Players’ Board. In simple terms, our job is to take the players’ experience of the game and ensure it shapes conversations with clubs, competitions and the wider game.
That responsibility is significant. The decisions we contribute to affect careers, health, and the long-term sustainability of professional rugby. Which is why how the Board operates matters as much as who sits around the table.
Why governance matters in practice
Governance can sound pretty abstract if you’re not used to it. I’ll be honest, it certainly wasn’t something I expected to feature in my rugby career.
What I’ve learned is that good governance is really about clarity, accountability and decision-making. It’s about understanding roles, asking the right questions, handling information properly and making sure discussions lead to outcomes that stand up over time, not just in the moment.
As a Board, we deal with complex issues: player welfare, scheduling pressures, financial sustainability, and the balance between performance and long-term health. Strong governance helps us navigate those conversations constructively and responsibly.
Building stronger Boards through learning
As Chair of the RPA Men’s Rugby Board, having the Sports Governance Academy involved in training our reps this season has been a real asset. It will help make the board stronger and better equipped to understand governance at a deeper level. This investment in learning strengthens our skills collectively and supports our shared goal of improving the game as much as possible.
That learning isn’t about turning players into lawyers or administrators. It’s about giving player representatives the tools to contribute effectively and understand the wider context in which decisions are made.
Governance and the future of the game
Professional rugby is under real pressure on many levels: physically, financially and structurally. Players feel that pressure directly. If the game is going to thrive, the players views need to be taken seriously.
Good governance helps make that possible. It ensures that Boards function properly, that different perspectives are heard, and that decisions are made with integrity and long-term impact in mind.
From my perspective, governance isn’t separate from the sport. It’s one of the mechanisms that helps protect players, strengthen trust and support a healthier future for rugby.
I’m proud to represent my fellow players in this role, and I’m increasingly convinced that investing in governance capability is one of the most practical ways we can help the game move forward, for today’s players and for the generations to come.
Find out more about the Sports Governance Academy
The Sports Governance Academy (SGA) is the governance support hub for the sports and physical activity sector. It champions good governance because it is passionate about the role governance plays in enabling the success of individual organisations and the sector as a whole.
The SGA is delivered by The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland in partnership with Sport England, UK Sport, sportscotland, Sport Wales and Sport Northern Ireland.