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

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

R360, which plans to launch in October 2026, is aiming to attract athletes from both codes with lucrative deals and a slimmed-down game calendar.

Prominent National Rugby League players have allegedly been contacted by the new league, which will feature multiple men's clubs and four women's teams operating from large metropolitan areas globally.

Representing Samoa Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who is with New Zealand Warriors in the NRL, has said he has had negotiations involving the new organization.

Papenhuyzen, Zac Lomax, Payne Haas and Jye Gray are also said to be thinking about signing the new competition.

Several leading union nations, such as Australia, recently announced a ban on players joining R360 playing global fixtures.

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

“Sadly, there will persistently exist organizations that seek to pirate our sport for economic benefit.

“They fail to contribute in talent pipelines or the advancement of players. They only leverage the efforts of existing bodies, jeopardizing careers of financial loss while profiting themselves.

“Essentially, they are, copying the game.”

R360 is co-founded by former England World Cup winner Tindall and supported by commercial backers.

Subsequent to the possible union sanctions were announced earlier, it said: “We aim to collaborate together as part of the worldwide fixture list.

“The event is structured with tailored timetables for both genders and the organization will permit participants for global fixtures, as written into their contracts.”

R360 will apply for endorsement for its proposals from rugby union's governing body, the sport's regulatory group, at its board session in 2026.