About Us
The Propadz Story
PROPADZ was conceived by former Professional Rugby player Sean O’Brien, and born from his 20+ years of experience playing rugby.
Sean, originally from Clarinbridge, Co. Galway, is a seasoned Rugby professional with over 25 years of experience in the game. He began playing at the age of 3 and led his Club, Galwegians and junior and senior school boy teams to multiple victories. He played professional Rugby for Connacht for over 10 years, represented Ireland as Captain of the Under 20 team in 2014 and was a key part of the Connacht team that won the Pro12 in 2016.
After a series of injuries and frustration with the inadequacies of traditional strapping, Sean conceived PROPADZ but put it to one side as he remained focused on his playing career. In 2021, Sean was forced to retire early from the sport due to injury.
Passion For The Game leads to Propadz
Sean's passion for the game through the difficulty of early retirement remained steadfast and his desire to provide a real contribution to the sport for the health of players into the future never waivered.
Although the concept of Propadz was shaped over several years of play, it wasn't until the early part of 2022 that Sean partnered up with Ultan O'Brien, his uncle and a seasoned veteran at mentoring SME start-ups and bringing their products to market. Together they initiated the actual product development and after extensive research and rigorous testing of materials, a series of prototypes were created.
The prototypes underwent thorough examination and testing both in the lab and on the playing field, leading to the refinement and finalization of the product we know today.
Propadz was officially launched in September 2022.
Ultan Dillane joins the Propadz Team!
One of the earliest adopters of PROPADZ was Ultan Dillane, a 10 year veteran at Connacht with 19 caps for Ireland and currently playing for La Rochelle in France. Ultan received one of the very first prototypes and loved the product, becoming a key part of the testing process and delivering valuable feedback along the way.
In late 2022, Ultan Dillane joined the PROPADZ team as an investor and shareholder and continues to wear his prototype vest today.
The journey continues for Propadz with tremendous success and growth. Our partnerships with players and teams during the Rugby World Cup and beyond, as well as the support of players in providing us with Testimonials, gives us a sense of pride in what we have created and the confidence it is providing to players of all levels.
We continue to explore cutting-edge technologies and materials, and more sustainable processes and are already deep into the creation of Version II, slated for a 2025 launch.
Driven by our relentless pursuit of excellence, we are dedicated to sourcing the finest materials to ensure that our Propadz warriors are equipped with the utmost in safety, comfort, and fit into the future.
World Rugby Approved
In 2023, after an extensive testing process on both the vest and the silicone gel pads, we were delighted to be the first shoulder pad design to receive World Rugby Approval and certification under the new Regulation 12-2023.
This mark indicates that Propadz has been independently tested and complies with the applicable performance specification. Only products with a World Rugby Approved mark and listed on the World Rugby website as being compliant can be used by professional players in league or international games.
