Player Platform allows players below the elite level to showcase their talents
Dean Richards is hungry – and you won't like him when he's hungry. The bumbling former No. 8 sits with a pint of local Leicestershire tiger ale before deciding enough is enough and, returning from the bar without refreshments, I'm in breach of my buyer duties.
Richards disappears. , who returned a few minutes later with his hands full of chips and nuts. The lack of cheese dishes displeases the former No. 8, but he agrees, cutting up one packet and then piling the rest on top, creating something like a pub snack plate. One big pile, like junk from his playing days.
Is this Richards' version of “Come Dine With Me”? I hope not, but there is another modern phenomenon that Richards borrows from. The 60-year-old has teamed up with his 26-year-old son William to create a website and app that he jokingly calls “the sports equivalent of Tinder.”
After retiring as Newcastle's Director of Rugby in 2022, Richards is the Players Platform's latest project. This allows players below the elite level to showcase their talents in a public forum in hopes of gaining an opportunity to play elsewhere. It could be another county, country or continent. This may be related to performance or integrity; for those who want to expand their horizons and get to know new places and cultures.
“Many cannot communicate with people even in another district”
The website is live and the app, which scrolls through profiles in a way not too dissimilar to Tinder, should be released soon. It was the brainchild of William, one of Richards' four children, but has the fingerprints of England and the Lions' 54-cap backline all over it.
“Players of any status in the game will have an agent who can promote them around the world through their contacts,” Richards told Telegraph Sport. “But there are so many people who cannot reach people around the world or even in Europe, even in another country. They don't have contacts or an agent or anything like that. It is aimed at people just below the elite level, those who would like to reach other parts of the world and experience culture.
“William was at university and saw a lot of kids who were either late developers or wanted to travel the world playing sports – but they were never given the opportunity because they didn't have the contacts. He thought it would be a good opportunity to develop an app and website that would give these people the opportunity to advertise themselves – locally or internationally. When he explained it to me, I thought it was a damn good idea!
Dean Richards&# New venture 39 will be released in framework of rugby and football and will cover other sports. Photo: Getty Images/Matthew Lewis
The venture is currently focused on rugby and football, but “will eventually include sports such as netball, cricket and hockey.” Despite the name, the Players Platform is intended not only for players, but also for coaches, physiotherapists, analysts – anyone who wants a change of scenery in their sports career. They sign up, create a profile (players can add a highlight snippet if they want) and pay a modest subscription fee; clubs do the same and can look for positions that suit their needs.
“It's not a one-stop shop in terms of promoting latecomers,” says Richards. “It's about giving everyone the opportunity to do what they want and be who they want to be. If you want to travel the world, so be it. If you want to become a better player, this could give you the opportunity to play at a higher level. People can use us as a means of gaining life experience.
“Perhaps you want to play rugby in Australia. You want to change your lifestyle, but don't know where to go or who to talk to. You like Sydney, but you don't know anyone. You go to our website and send messages to registered clubs, and you can also attach a highlight reel.
“There are eight million registered rugby players worldwide. And not everyone is happy. There are so many people in Europe looking for opportunities abroad, and so many people in South America. It won't revolutionize rugby, but it will give people the opportunity to experience something they've never experienced before and make their lives easier. Rugby is a global sport and it needs something like this.
“It's all about connections, isn't it? Life is made of connections. They say you're probably only six years away from Dad, and that's probably true! If you're 18 years old, fresh out of school, a good athlete and want a gap year – why not? Why not try traveling the world, for example, playing rugby? This is where we strive to open up the world.”
Richards contributed his sports contacts and financial support Credit: Getty Images /David Munden
Richards left the development of the app to a generation that knows about these things – “I'd like to say that I wrote the code for the app, that I taught them everything they know, but no” – but it's his knowledge of the sports world, his contacts and “a little bit » money that started the project.
“We didn't do it on a shoestring, but it took a little longer than expected because we wanted to get it right,” he says. “We believe the website is right, the app is right and that there will be further developments. It's about getting on stage, and we're not going to rush it.
“The beauty of having a 26-year-old from a different generation on board is that he understands these things much better than I do.” . I have contacts, some money and some knowledge about sports. But he gets it done.
“And I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think it was a really good idea.”
The pint is down, the pub snacks are gone; the emergence of the Player Platform is inevitable.
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