R360 Athletes Face Decade-Long Exclusion from National Rugby League

The NRL's administration has announced that athletes who sign with the “rebel” R360 league will be prohibited for 10 years.

The new league, scheduled to begin in 2026, is seeking to lure athletes from both codes with hefty contracts and a condensed game calendar.

Leading rugby league players have reportedly received offers by the breakaway group, which will include six to eight men's teams and four women's sides operating from large metropolitan areas globally.

Samoa's Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who plays for the Warriors in the competition, has confirmed he has had talks with R360.

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

Several leading rugby union countries, such as Australia, last week imposed a restriction on R360 recruits playing global fixtures.

“We heard our teams and we've acted decisively,” stated Australian Rugby League Commission chief V'Landys.

“Regrettably, there will continually be groups that attempt to hijack our code for monetary profit.

“They don't invest in talent pipelines or the advancement of talent. They simply exploit the dedication of existing bodies, putting players at risk of monetary damage while profiting themselves.

“Essentially, they are, counterfeiting a code.”

The league is launched by former England World Cup winner Tindall and funded by independent financiers.

After the possible union sanctions were revealed last week, it said: “We want to work collaboratively as part of the worldwide fixture list.

“The series is structured with customized calendars for men's and women's teams and R360 will permit participants for global fixtures, as written into their contracts.”

R360 will apply for endorsement for its initiatives from World Rugby, the sport's administrative organization, at its board session in 2026.