R360 Competition Athletes Subject to Decade-Long Ban from National Rugby League

Australian rugby league's authority has declared that participants who sign with the “rebel” R360 will be banned for 10 seasons.

The proposed competition, scheduled to begin in 2026, is seeking to lure athletes from both codes with substantial agreements and a slimmed-down playing schedule.

Top NRL stars have allegedly been contacted by the new league, which will feature six or eight men's sides and four women's teams based in key urban centers globally.

Samoa's Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who is with New Zealand Warriors in the competition, has confirmed he has had discussions with R360.

Papenhuyzen, Lomax, Haas and Jye Gray are also believed to be weighing up offers from the rebel league.

Several leading rugby union teams, among them Australia, earlier announced a prohibition on athletes signing with R360 appearing in global fixtures.

“We've listened to our franchises and we've responded strongly,” stated Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'Landys.

“Unfortunately, there will always be groups that seek to pirate our code for monetary profit.

“They avoid funding in talent pipelines or the development of players. They only leverage the efforts of other organizations, jeopardizing careers of financial loss while profiting themselves.

“They are, in reality, imitating the sport.”

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

Subsequent to the potential rugby union prohibitions were revealed recently, it stated: “We aim to collaborate in partnership as a component of the worldwide fixture list.

“The competition is arranged with bespoke schedules for both genders and we will permit participants for global fixtures, as specified in their agreements.”

The breakaway group will seek approval for its initiatives from World Rugby, rugby union's regulatory group, at its official gathering in 2026.