Major rugby nations unite to propose ban on players who join rebel series R360
Breakaway organisation akin to LIV Golf says it has signed up 200 players to launch a multi-city series next year
Eight of rugby’s most powerful nations have announced international bans for any players who join the breakaway R360 organisation, which intends to launch a multi-city series next year.
England, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, France, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia have written a joint letter in which they urge men’s and women’s players to think carefully before accepting offers from the R360.
Representatives of the R360 reportedly have approached leading rugby union and rugby league players around the world in an effort to create a series that upends rugby’s existing global order.
R360’s organisers say they have agreements in place with 200 men’s players and approached leading players at the recent Women’s Rugby World Cup in England. Those players have been told that R360 has secured funding for three years and intends to launch next September.
“As a group of national rugby unions, we are urging extreme caution for players and support staff considering joining the proposed R360 competition,” the joint letter from the leading national rugby unions said.
“We all welcome new investment and innovation in rugby, and support ideas that can help the game evolve and reach new audiences, but any new competition must strengthen the sport as a whole, not fragment or weaken it.”