R360 is a proposed breakaway league for rugby union, which would include 12 new franchise sides filled with the biggest and best names in rugby currently. The series would take place across the globe in major series and promises to deliver a “generational change in rugby”.
What is R360?
The initiative is led by Mike Tindall, England 2003 Rugby World Cup winner, and hopes to attract players with the significant salaries and reduced playing schedules.
R360 positions itself as designed to tackle the problems that rugby union is facing globally - namely financial issues and reducing fan interest - with this flashy new tournament that is planned to launch in October 2026.
Why is R360 controversial?
In a statement issued by eight of rugby’s major national unions, they stated that “the R360 model, as outlined publicly, rather appears designed to generate profits and return them to a very small elite, potentially hollowing out the investment that national unions and existing leagues make in community rugby, player development, and participation pathways”.
This is a primary fear surrounding the new league, as clubs and unions worry that R360 will tempt plays away from their current domestic clubs in favour of the more lucrative international circuit.
Removing these talents from domestic set-ups across the globe threatens an incredibly damaging trickle-down effect into grassroots rugby with a reduced standard of play, as well as risking financial forecasts if major names leave certain clubs.
The lack of detail around issues like player welfare and fixture schedule has also been criticised. As it currently stands, the proposed start of the league in October 2026 would conflict with the newly launched Global WXV Series, and the subsequent editions planed in April and August 2027 would clash with the build-up to the Men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027.
Who is against R360?
Despite being at the forefront of conversation at the moment, R360 faces serious opposition from across the rugby union world. As well as not currently being ratified by World Rugby, which excludes it from being an official, highly regarded official league, various organisations have also come out to publicly decry the initiative.
Eight of the Tier One nations - England, Ireland, France, Scotland, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia - have joined up to issue a joint statement decreeing that any athletes that play in R360 will be unable to represent their country in test rugby as a result.
Argentina is the only Tier One nation not included in this declaration, as although Wales did not sign due to ongoing investigations into Welsh professional rugby, they did issue a statement echoing their fellow nations’ sentiments.
In addition, the IRPA, which represents leading international players across the globe, has reportedly warned its clients against the new league, highlighting that “any associated player contracts are not endorsed by IRPA or IRPA members, and references to IRPA within any contract does not have IRPA permission”.
These blockades will prove difficult to R360, as although they publicised that they have confirmed mystery financial backing for the inaugural October series, the risk of giving up a test career for an unratified, controversial new league may not seem like a worthy one for many of rugby’s top players.
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