Overview
- ARLC chairman Peter V’landys announced 10-year exclusions from the NRL and all ARLC-sanctioned competitions for any player or agent who negotiates or signs with R360 or other unrecognised leagues.
- R360 co-CEO Mark Spoors rejected the move as predictable and said the venture offers players fresh opportunities, with a planned October 2026 launch in a global, F1-style series including rounds in Cape Town, Tokyo and Dubai, and with several NRL stars linked.
- Rugby Australia and other national unions have warned that players who sign with R360 will be ineligible for Test selection and the Olympics.
- Prominent rugby league voices Phil Gould and Billy Slater criticised the proposed decade-long bans, describing the response as an overreaction and “a little bit extreme.”
- SA Rugby, citing the Daily Mail, reports several Welsh players have agreed to join or are being targeted by R360, while the WRU says it supports the stance that signees could be excluded from international duty.