Overview
- Organisers notified agents and players that conditional player contracts will be terminated as the project resets for a 2028 start.
- High-profile NRL targets such as Zac Lomax and Ryan Papenhuyzen now face uncertain 2026 plans after securing early club releases.
- R360 remains without World Rugby approval after deferring its sanctioning application, with calendar fit still a key hurdle.
- Eight major unions and the British & Irish Lions warned R360 participants would be ineligible for selection, while the NRL set a 10-year return ban.
- The group publicly confirmed financier Martin Gilbert as non-executive chair and investor as it seeks to bolster credibility for the globe-touring franchise concept.