SACRAMENTO, Calif.­ - The newly­-formed United States Rugby Players Associations (USRPA) has announced that it will extend membership to the PRO Rugby players, effective immediately.

In a December 22 announcement, the USRPA said it "pledges its support to help PRO Rugby players through this critical period."

PRO players were notified this week that they have been terminated, and would receive their final paychecks today, Thursday, December 22. According to sources, those payments have indeed been coming through.

The USRPA is an independently governed organization whose mission is to promote and protect the welfare of US rugby players. As a partner of USA Rugby and a member of the International Rugby Players Association (IRPA), the USRPA is committed to ensuring that the players’ voices are heard and respected. Initially representing only US National Team athletes, the USRPA has now extended membership to all Pro Rugby players as well, via the online negotiation management platform Trokt.

The USRPA believes it is in a strong position to support PRO players by mediating a dialogue with both the league and USAR, and allowing the players to provide input on key issues. While there are no guarantees, representing both National Team athletes and PRO Rugby players through the USRPA is a necessary step to ensure that all professional rugby players in the US have the support they need to be successful and grow the game: e.g., standardized contracts, open communication, necessary medical care and insurance, adequate training and travel conditions, and transparent grievance procedures.

Further, the announcement said, "the USRPA will help facilitate solutions that are in the best interests of rugby in the United States ­ not only for the present, but also for the future of the game. The USRPA would like to thank all the players, coaches, referees, medical staff and all other contributors for their continued efforts to the game of rugby in the United States. The most important part of our game is the people who participate in it."

The USRPA was founded in October 2016 by the players for the players of the US National Teams to promote the highest quality player experience and assist in negotiations and dialogue with USA Rugby. The organization represents US National Team members and professional players in their communication with USA Rugby and rugby employers while being committed to improving the quality of rugby in the United States, encouraging involvement and promoting interest in rugby at all levels.