R360 Athletes Hit With 10-Year Ban from NRL

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

R360, scheduled to begin in October 2026, is hoping to draw athletes from both codes with lucrative deals and a condensed game calendar.

Leading NRL stars have reportedly received offers by R360, which will include six to eight men's sides and four women's sides based in large metropolitan areas around the world.

The Samoan the rugby star, who plays for the Warriors in the NRL, has said he has had negotiations involving the new organization.

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

Several leading rugby union teams, such as Australia, recently announced a restriction on players joining R360 participating in international matches.

“We've listened to our franchises and we've taken firm action,” commented the league's chairman Peter V'Landys.

“Unfortunately, there will persistently exist entities that seek to pirate our code for economic benefit.

“They avoid funding in pathways or the growth of talent. They simply exploit the efforts of existing bodies, jeopardizing careers of financial loss while profiting themselves.

“In truth, they represent, copying the game.”

The league is co-founded by former England World Cup winner Tindall and funded by independent financiers.

Following the prospective union prohibitions were announced last week, it commented: “We want to work collaboratively as integrated into the worldwide fixture list.

“The event is arranged with customized calendars for male and female sides and R360 will release all players for test matches, as specified in their contracts.”

R360 will apply for endorsement for its plans from World Rugby, the sport's regulatory group, at its board session next year.