R360 League Recruits Hit With 10-Year Exclusion from National Rugby League

Australian rugby league's governing body has announced that athletes who sign with the “breakaway” R360 will be banned for a decade.

The new league, which plans to launch in late 2026, is aiming to attract rugby union and rugby league players with substantial agreements and a slimmed-down fixture list.

Leading National Rugby League players have reportedly received offers by the new league, which will feature six or eight men's sides and four women's teams based in major cities worldwide.

Samoa's the rugby star, who represents his NRL club in the competition, has confirmed he has had discussions with the new organization.

Papenhuyzen, Zac Lomax, Payne Haas and Jye Gray are also reported to be considering joining the new competition.

Several leading rugby union teams, including Australia, last week declared a restriction on players joining R360 playing test matches.

“We heard our teams and we've acted decisively,” commented ARLC chief Peter V'Landys.

“Regrettably, there will persistently exist organizations that attempt to hijack our sport for monetary profit.

“They avoid funding in development systems or the development of talent. They simply exploit the hard work of other organizations, putting players at risk of monetary damage while gaining personally.

“They are, in reality, counterfeiting a code.”

R360 is launched by former England World Cup winner Mike Tindall and backed by commercial backers.

Subsequent to the possible union prohibitions were declared last week, it stated: “We aim to collaborate in partnership as integrated into the worldwide fixture list.

“The series is arranged with customized calendars for male and female sides and the organization will release all players for global fixtures, as specified in their agreements.”

The breakaway group will request authorization for its proposals from World Rugby, rugby union's administrative organization, at its official gathering in the coming year.