R360 League Recruits Subject to Decade-Long Exclusion from Australia's Rugby League

Rugby league's administration has declared that participants who sign with the “breakaway” R360 competition will be banned for a decade.

R360, which plans to launch in late 2026, is hoping to draw athletes from both codes with substantial agreements and a reduced fixture list.

Prominent NRL players have reportedly received offers by the new league, which will include multiple men's teams and four women's teams operating from major cities worldwide.

The Samoan Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who plays for his NRL club in the competition, has confirmed he has had talks with R360.

Papenhuyzen, Zac Lomax, Haas and Jye Gray are also believed to be thinking about signing the rebel league.

Several leading rugby union teams, among them Australia, earlier announced a prohibition on R360 recruits playing international matches.

“We've listened to our franchises and we've taken firm action,” said the league's chairman Peter V'Landys.

“Unfortunately, there will persistently exist groups that seek to pirate our sport for monetary profit.

“They avoid funding in pathways or the growth of talent. They only leverage the hard work of other organizations, endangering athletes of economic hardship while gaining personally.

“In truth, they represent, copying the game.”

The organization is co-founded by former England World Cup winner Mike Tindall and funded by commercial backers.

Subsequent to the potential rugby union sanctions were declared earlier, it said: “We want to work together as integrated into the international rugby schedule.

“The competition is arranged with tailored timetables for male and female sides and the organization will allow all athletes for global fixtures, as specified in their deals.”

The breakaway group will request authorization for its initiatives from World Rugby, union's regulatory group, at its council meeting in the coming year.