Olympic gold-winning coach Ben Ryan has joined the new-look board of Pacific Rugby Players Welfare (PRPW), as the organisation targets research into links between supplement use and kidney failure.

Chairman Dan Leo will convene PRPW’s inaugural AGM on Sunday, with raising funds to commission medical research among the group’s top aims.

Former Fiji Sevens coach Ryan has been named among the non-executive directors, while England stars like Manu Tuilagi and Mako Vunipola have thrown their weight behind the organisation.

Dan Leo playing for Aviva Premiership side Wasps (Chris Young/PA)

Leo believes the independent, not-for-profit body can help unify the hundreds of Pacific Islands stars plying their trade in the UK and Europe.

“There’s power in unity,” former Samoa lock Leo told Press Association Sport.

“Collectively the Islands provide some of the biggest names in World Rugby, and players from the Islands and of Islands heritage are based all over the world.

“What we can offer is a real support network for players and their families based in the UK and Europe, and we can also push for change on issues affecting Pacific Islanders.

Sione Lauaki, right, died in February (Lynne Cameron/Empics)

“We’re delighted to welcome a host of influential people to our board, and we’re proud to stand as a fully-independent organisation.

“We received great help from the English RPA (Rugby Players’ Association) to be able to launch about eight months ago, but now we are ready to go it alone.

“It’s important we progress without an affiliation so that we can represent our causes independently.”

Ryan led Fiji to their maiden Olympic gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and has since taken up a role with the Welsh Rugby Union.

7 Fiji dollar note in honour of the Rio 2016 champions! 🇫🇯😲🏉

Watch #AgainstAllOdds with Jerry Tuwai: https://t.co/oHMEWnhvhs @WorldRugby7s pic.twitter.com/fDnV9RIYls — Olympic Channel (@olympicchannel) April 22, 2017

He is joined among the non-executive directors by former RPA chairman David Barnes, while ex-players Aleki Lutui, Junior Paramore and Mike Umaga have also joined the board.

While bidding to confront mental health issues among Pacific Islands players, Leo also targeted medical research to investigate the spate of premature deaths among top stars.

Former All Black Sione Lauaki died in February aged just 35 following serious kidney problems. Now the PRPW will lobby for research into any links between these early deaths and supplement use.

The organisation will look into creatine use (Steve Mitchell/Empics)

“Sadly there have been four or five high-profile deaths in the Pacific Islands community, with Sione being the most recent,” said ex-Wasps and London Irish star Leo.

“So we’re aiming to raise funding to commission a study into the health issues of creatine and supplement use.

“Our genetic make-up is very different from the Anglo-Saxon make-up.

“There was one small study carried out in New Zealand that said Pacific Islanders naturally have two times the natural creatine levels in their blood than white New Zealanders.

England's Manu Tuilagi is a supporter of the organisation (Jonathan Brady/PA)

“So when players are recommended to load up on creatine they may well not need it.

“So these are the things we want to start delving into.

“We just don’t think it’s good enough that we’ve had four or five players passing away all under their 40s and no one’s really looking into it.”

:: For more information on commercial partnership opportunities with PRPW, visit www.pacificrugbywelfare.com.