Overview
- England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa issued a rare joint statement warning that anyone joining R360 would be ineligible for national selection, with Wales supporting the stance but reserving the right to decide case by case.
- Unions said R360 has not shown how it would protect player welfare or fit within the crowded global schedule, and they argued the model risks diverting money away from grassroots and existing competitions.
- R360 said it will work with the game’s authorities, include release clauses for Tests in player contracts, and seek World Rugby sanctioning next summer after withdrawing an initial application.
- The International Rugby Players Association advised players to be cautious and noted the competition lacks World Rugby regulatory approval, while some senior figures now question whether the venture can proceed without union buy-in.
- Organisers have targeted an October 2026 launch with a travelling franchise format of eight men’s and four women’s teams, claim roughly 200 pre-contracts and initial funding, and have been linked in reports to investors including 885 Capital and Martin Gilbert.