R360 Players Face 10-Season Exclusion from National Rugby League

Rugby league's administration has stated that athletes who enter the “counterfeit” R360 competition will be banned for 10 years.

The new league, scheduled to begin in October 2026, is hoping to draw rugby union and rugby league players with lucrative deals and a condensed playing schedule.

Prominent NRL athletes have reportedly received offers by R360, which will include six or eight men's teams and women's teams based in key urban centers worldwide.

Samoa's Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who is with New Zealand Warriors in the league, has confirmed he has had negotiations involving the breakaway league.

Papenhuyzen, Lomax, Haas and Gray are also said to be considering joining the new competition.

Several leading union teams, among them Australia, recently declared a ban on players joining R360 playing international matches.

“We heard our franchises and we've responded strongly,” commented Australian Rugby League Commission head V'Landys.

“Sadly, there will continually be entities that seek to pirate our sport for monetary profit.

“They avoid funding in development systems or the development of players. They merely capitalize on the hard work of existing bodies, jeopardizing careers of economic hardship while benefiting financially.

“Essentially, they are, imitating the sport.”

The league is launched by retired international Tindall and backed by private investors.

Subsequent to the prospective rugby union sanctions were declared last week, it said: “We seek to cooperate together as integrated into the global rugby calendar.

“The event is designed with bespoke schedules for men's and women's teams and R360 will allow all athletes for global fixtures, as included in their contracts.”

The new league will seek approval for its initiatives from the international authority, rugby union's administrative organization, at its council meeting in 2026.