R360 Competition Players Hit With Decade-Long Suspension from Australia's Rugby League

The NRL's authority has declared that participants who enter the “breakaway” R360 will be banned for a decade.

The proposed competition, set to start in late 2026, is aiming to attract players from union and league with hefty contracts and a condensed fixture list.

Leading National Rugby League players have allegedly been contacted by R360, which will feature multiple men's teams and four women's sides located in large metropolitan areas worldwide.

Representing Samoa the rugby star, who is with his NRL club in the competition, has said he has had negotiations involving R360.

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

Several leading union countries, including Australia, last week imposed a ban on players joining R360 playing international matches.

“We have consulted our franchises and we've responded strongly,” said ARLC chairman Peter V'Landys.

“Regrettably, there will continually be organizations that seek to pirate our code for monetary profit.

“They don't invest in talent pipelines or the advancement of talent. They merely capitalize on the hard work of other organizations, endangering athletes of financial loss while benefiting financially.

“They are, in reality, counterfeiting a code.”

The league is established by retired international Tindall and funded by independent financiers.

Following the prospective union bans were declared recently, it stated: “We seek to cooperate collaboratively as a component of the global rugby calendar.

“The series is structured with tailored timetables for men's and women's teams and we will allow all athletes for test matches, as written into their agreements.”

R360 will request authorization for its initiatives from rugby union's governing body, the sport's governing body, at its official gathering in 2026.