R360 League Players Face Decade-Long Exclusion from National Rugby League

Rugby league's authority has stated that athletes who join the “breakaway” R360 competition will be banned for a decade.

R360, set to start in 2026, is seeking to lure athletes from both codes with hefty contracts and a slimmed-down fixture list.

Top NRL stars have reportedly been approached by the breakaway group, which will involve six or eight men's sides and women's teams located in large metropolitan areas around the world.

Samoa's the rugby star, who plays for his NRL club in the league, has stated he has had negotiations involving R360.

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

Several leading rugby union nations, such as Australia, recently announced a ban on athletes signing with R360 appearing in test matches.

“We heard our teams and we've taken firm action,” stated Australian Rugby League Commission head Peter V'Landys.

“Sadly, there will always be organizations that attempt to hijack our sport for monetary profit.

“They don't invest in talent pipelines or the advancement of athletes. They simply exploit the efforts of other organizations, endangering athletes of economic hardship while profiting themselves.

“In truth, they represent, counterfeiting a code.”

The organization is established by retired international Tindall and backed by private investors.

After the potential rugby union prohibitions were announced earlier, it stated: “We aim to collaborate together as integrated into the worldwide fixture list.

“The event is structured with tailored timetables for both genders and we will permit participants for test matches, as written into their agreements.”

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