Ivan van Zyl Elected RPA Men’s Rugby BoardVice Chair for 2025/26

Following the first RPA Men’s Rugby Board meeting of the 2025/26 season, the RPA is delighted to confirm that Ivan van Zyl appointed as Vice Chair of the Men’s Rugby Board.

This follows the creation of the new Men’s and Women’s Rugby Boards, each with their respective Chair and Vice-Chair, announced in June after a player vote.

The move underlines the RPA’s ongoing commitment to provide dedicated representation and wellbeing support for every elite player across the game. By establishing two separate Boards, players in both men’s and women’s rugby will benefit from tailored, player-led representation that can respond directly to the unique challenges and opportunities within their environments.

Van Zyl takes on the Vice Chair role from Freddie Clarke. The South African scrum-half joined Saracens in 2021 and has since cemented himself as a pivotal figure for the club, helping them secure the Gallagher PREM title in 2023. He has been part of the RPA Players’ Board since 2023.

On his new role as Vice Chair, Ivan van Zyl said: “I’m honoured to be elected Vice Chair of the Men’s Rugby Board. It’s a privilege to represent my fellow players, and I’m looking forward to working alongside Max, the Board and the RPA to ensure players’ voices are heard. The RPA does such important work across the game, and I’m excited to play my part in supporting that and representing the views of my teammates.”